The War of the Five Cities
by Anonymius
Summary: It's been a year since the events of 'Allegiant'. Tobias is still grieving over what happened to Tris. While trying to get on with his life, a former member of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare approaches him, asking for assistance in stopping an ongoing war in the last active experiment of the bureau, where the equivalents of the factions each have their own city.
1. An Unexpected Request

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

It had been a long day. It had been another long day, helping Joanna Reyes with running the city, another day of going through and sorting out paper work. Tobias couldn't wait until he got home, where Tris was waiting for him. It was what helped him through the day, although he liked to keep himself busy. It helped keep his mind off of what happened, even though it had been a year since it all happened, since everything changed, and yet it felt like he hadn't changed at all. Calling it a day, Tobias left the building that had become the centre for government. Walking down the busy street, he noticed the people passing by, most of them wearing suits like him. Black and white suits used to be the clothing of people who belonged to Candor, but now it wasn't certain, although you could probably tell which factions others came from, like the doctors, or the scientists. The policemen and women who stood around were likely from Dauntless, although not all were. As he walked down, he saw a homeless man sitting in a corner, bearded, wearing tattered clothing. A grey clothed individual instantly went to his aid. The abolition of the faction system hadn't eradicated homelessness, but it was not nearly as extreme as it used to be. Tobias approached where the train would arrived. He heard it coming. As it approached, by instinct Tobias readied to jump on. The train stopped for people to get on. Trains no longer kept moving as they once did. Tobias gripped on the pole as the train sped on. The train didn't even look the same on the inside as it once did. A decision was made to refurbished the insides, with seating added as well as poles and handles for people to hold onto in case there was no seating available. No longer were they the reserve of the Dauntless, to prove their fearlessness by jumping on and off. Now people of all former factions rode the trains, whether they were Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, Erudite, Factionless, or even came from outside the city. Tobias couldn't believe how much had changed in the past year, how unrecognisable the city was compared to how it used to be. Like this train, the shell was the same, the same buildings, the same shape, but what was inside was different. No longer were sixteen year olds expected to choose factions, no longer did they leave their families if they chose a different faction (School was even extended to eighteen, with a place of further education called a university set up). People of all former factions lived with each other as opposed to living in their own communities. Tobias' old compound, the pit, was now basically abandoned, with former dauntless moving above ground. Power was no longer held by a single faction, but instead by an elected government representative of everyone. Still, not everything had changed. The old prejudices remained, particularly against those former Erudite and Abnegation, or Candor and Amity. Amity still ran the farms. The survivors of the Abnegation genocide still ran shelters and relief programs. Candor were still leaders in law (Tobias heard that in the past year they had become more busy than they had ever been since their society was first founded!). Dauntless still preserved security (And also had their hands full as the police force), and Erudites served as teachers and researchers. Many even still wore the colours that represented their faction (Tobias himself wore a black suit). As the train approached home, Tobias readied himself to jump out, before remembering that that wasn't necessary anymore. This would take some getting used to. It was not easy after spending two years of jumping in and out of trains. By the time he reached his apartment, he had taken off his tie (Which he still wasn't used to wearing) as he got out his keys to open the door, waiting to see the sight of Tris.

What he wasn't expecting was that someone was already inside waiting for him.

Near the mantle piece stood a thin faced man with angular eyes. He wore a brown suit over which he wore a brown jacket. In his hand he held a cane with a silver ball for the handle. The man was studying one of the ornaments on the mantle piece when Tobias walked in, causing him to turn in his direction.

"Ah, finally!" He said cheerfully, "I was wondering when you would show up!"

Tobias froze. The man gave him a carefree smile, but Tobias was wary about a man who had broken into his home. His first concerns were of Tris.

"Sorry that I helped myself in your room, it's just that I got bored waiting outside. Besides, seeing a total stranger standing outside all day would have looked suspicious."

Breaking inside doesn't exactly alleviate any suspicion, Tobias thought.

"How did you get in here?" He slowly asked the man.

"Oh," He waved a gloved hand, "I have my ways."

Tobias heard the door shut behind him. He spun around to see that another man was behind him, standing in the corner. He was tall, round faced and black haired, and like Tobias he wore a black suit, yet he was pretty sure that he wasn't from Dauntless, however the grim faced man had a look that he had seen in many Dauntless eyes.

"Oh, this is my friend, Mortimer," The other man explained.

Friend? Or bodyguard? Perhaps hitman? Tobias looked between the brown suited man who continued to smile amiably at him and the black suited man who continued to stare at him as if he was some sort of prey. Already ideas of attack were going through Tobias' mind, a remnant from his Dauntless days. Yet he had a feeling that the two men wouldn't have come unless they would have anticipated some sort of attack, meaning that if he even tried he might be overpowered. Yet the man called Mortimer didn't advance. He just stood there, examining Tobias, as if waiting to see what move he would make. The other man extended a gloved hand.

"My name is Yamaru. Eric Yamaru, formerly of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare."

The name sent a chill through Tobias' body.

"I thought everyone from the bureau had their - well - their mind erased?"

With the one exception.

"Oh, I was away at the time when everyone suffered, as I'm sure you're aware, mass amnesia."

Tobias felt completely frozen.

"Relax. I don't hold any grudge over what you and your friends did last year. The organisation lost its purpose centuries ago. Personally, I thought the head was a moron. And the fact that he was a scientist just made that fact ever more shameful."

Pulling out a chair, Yamaru sat down.

"My throat is a little dry, I don't suppose you have any tea, do you Toby? Mind if I call you Toby?"

"I prefer Tobias," Was his answer.

Yamaru shrugged.

"To be honest Toby sounds like a lot better nickname than 'Four'. Seriously, who has a nickname after a number?"

"It reflects the fact that I only have four fears," Tobias answered.

"Yes yes, I know that," Yamaru dismissed, "But that's like myself being called 'Five' if I had five rings on my hand! I don't suppose you could make us some tea, could you, Toby, if it's no bother?"

Tobias looked back at the other man called Mortimer. It was clear that he didn't have a choice in the matter. Remaining calm, Tobias went for the cupboard and got out a couple of bags and mugs

"Do you want any tea, Mortimer?" Yamaru asked the other man, who remained standing, his expression unchanged.

"Fair enough," Yamaru shrugged.

After making the tea, he pushed to cup to Yamaru, who picked it up and sipped it.

"Ah, that's better. You know, I couldn't help but notice Toby that you're wearing all black."

"What about it?" Asked Tobias.

"It's just that I hear that you have an office job now."

"I work in an office, yes."

"Well."

Yamaru smiled.

"It's not exactly a job that requires bravery, now is it?"

Tobias didn't answer.

"Look."

Yamaru put the mug down.

"I can see that I'm not doing a good impression here, breaking into your home, making myself at home here, threatening you with the bodyguard over there, calling you something you don't want to be called, insulting your nickname and your job. But you see, I require your assistance with something."

So that was it. He didn't need to break in. It wasn't even that late. Tobias had a feeling that this man knew when he would be back. He could have waited until after he had gotten home, but by waiting here for him, with backup, he was essentially marking his territory, that whatever he wanted from Tobias, it was not a request, by constantly calling him a nickname of his choice he made it clear that he would be dictating terms here.

"I'm sure that you're aware that since the fall of the bureau, most of the remaining experiments have collapsed. Of course there weren't even that many to end with! One however, remains active. One where the subjects are in the middle of fighting an endless, bloody war."

"And I should just take your word that this is happening?"

"No," Yamaru smiled, "I didn't think you would. Which is why I brought some visual evidence."

Putting his hand in his jacket, he took out an electronic pad that he placed on the table.

"This is recorded footage of the latest battle."

He swiped the screen. Tobias saw a number of soldiers roaring as they charged into battle, guns blazing. A mixture of men and women, they wore helmets and bright bullet proof vests over red and orange t-shirts, with jeans and boots on their lower halves. The footage also showed their opponents, soldiers who looked more formal, wearing all black uniforms, their eyes concealed by visors. It wasn't just their attire that contrasted, but their personalities as well. They made no cries, and they fought together whereas Tobias could see little organisation in their opponents. The tide of the battle kept changing several times before there was a victor. When one side disappeared on the other side of the screen, Tobia's eyes were on the battlefield. Bodies of soldiers from both sides laid scattered across the dirt covered ground.

"And that's not even the bloodiest battle they've had! You see, the bureau had a plan to deal with the situation. Unfortunately its collapse when everyone's mind was wiped kinda threw a wrench in that plan."

Tobias looked at Yamaru.

"And what makes you think that I can do anything to help?" He asked.

"Well you were instrumental in preventing a war here. I was hoping that you would use the same peace making skills again."

"That was different. I was only able to broker a peace because one of the leaders was my mother!"

"Even so, I am hoping that you could use similar peace making skills to broker another peace. Plus your background might give you an advantage."

Tobias didn't understand what he meant.

"What do you mean by my background?"

"I'll explain more, if you take the job. It's not too far from here, maybe about 200 miles south is where we need to go."

"And what makes you think that I will, or want to help you?"

"Oh I know you will."

Yamaru stood up.

"You are Abnegation after all. Sure you might have left them and remoulded yourself in the form of the Dauntless, but your heart-"

He poked the left side of his chest with his cane.

"-Remains and always shall be that of a selfless man, one who cannot stand by to watch other people suffer, even if they're strangers, regardless of what might happen to yourself."

Tobias' hands tightened into fists.

"Maybe you're not aware, Mr Yamaru, but when we leave our faction we leave it and whatever values it has behind."

Yamaru sighed.

"I expected more from a man who sought to embrace all five virtues."

How did he know what? This man was unnerving. He seemed to know all about him, where he worked, the meaning of his nickname. But how could he know about the tattoos on his back too, when the only person he ever showed them to was Tris? Then again, it shouldn't surprise him to know that a member of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare knew everything about every individual in Chicago. Yamaru smiled.

"Besides, no matter how hard we try, we can never overcome our nature. Which of course was one of the reasons for genetic manipulation in the first place. Also I think you owe these people, don't you?"

Tobias didn't expect him to say that.

"Owe them? Why?"

"Well, the bureau could have brought an end to the fighting a year ago if you and your merry band hadn't dosed them all with memory serum."

He pointed to the pad.

"Those people on the ground might still be alive if it wasn't for you."

Tobias felt stung, being held responsible for the deaths of innocents.

"We did what he had to to save everyone!"

"I know, you didn't even know the consequences of your actions, I get it, but now you have a chance to make amends. I'll give you the rest of the day to decide. If you are willing to help, meet me at the bureau tomorrow at midday. You can also ask if anyone else wants to accompany you. Thank you for the tea."

Yamaru walked towards the door. Tobias picked up the electronic pad to give back.

"Keep it. It should help you to mull things over."

Yamaru walked out of the door, with Mortimer closing it behind him. Tobias walked towards the door and looked through the peephole to see where they were going. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Tobias swung open the door. He half ran down the corridor, looking left and right. There were no sign of them. They couldn't have left that quickly. Tobias walked back to his apartment, the mug and electronic pad the only evidence that they were here.


	2. The decision

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

After closing the door, Tobias at once ran to the bedroom, to check if Tris was all right. He smiled as he sighed with relief. There she was, just where he left her. Standing on the shelf beside his bed was a white urn, containing the ashes of the girl he loved.

"Hey I'm home."

Hanging up his jacket and taking off his shoes, Tobias undid his shirt and collapsed on the bed. He put his hands behind his head as he closed his eyes. He opened them up again to look at Tris' urn.

"I'm sure you overheard. Some guy approached me, asking for help with a problem. Says it's my fault it happened, so I'm obligated to help."

Getting up, Tobias walked towards the shelf. Besides the urn was a photo of Tris. The only image he had left of her. He picked it up and sat down again. He studied the picture, of Tris smiling back at him. The image of her disappearing in flames came to mind. He stroked her mouth with his finger.

"I wonder what you would want me to do."

Tobias looked in the direction of his living room. Putting the photo back on the shelf, he went back to pick up the pad that Yamaru had left for him. Laying back down on the bed, Tobias started the video again, watching the carnage. He still wasn't sure whether he should take the man's word for what was happening, that the footage he was watching was genuine. If only there was a way to confirm that he was telling the truth.

Actually, there was someone who could help.

* * *

After changing his shirt, Tobias travelled to a building where psychiatric research was taking place. There he found a man the same age as him working late, who wore a dark green string around his neck. The man looked up when Tobias approached him.

"Tobias!"

Matthew stood up.

"Hi, how have you been?"

"Fine," Tobias lied.

"Well what brings you here?"

While they got coffee, Matthew watched the video that Tobias gave him.

"Is there anyway you can verify if what's on that pad is genuine?" Tobias asked.

After watching it, Matthew was deep in thought.

"There's no need. I recognise the clothing. I can tell you that the man who visited you was telling the truth."

Tobias was hoping that that was not the case.

"So do you know him, then? This 'Eric Yamaru'?"

"I don't think so," Matthew scratched his chin. "It certainly wasn't the name of anyone at the bureau that I call. Wait. Yamaru. Yamaru. Oh! Now I remember! It was some years back now. I remember overhearing about it, about a high ranking member of the bureau who criticised the experiments being run! Yes, now that I think about it, I think it was Yamaru!"

"He criticised the experiments? So I guess that makes him one of the good guys, then?"

"Well ... when I say criticise, I don't mean the way you're thinking."

Tobias was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"From what I heard, Yamaru felt that the bureau had moved away from its original purpose. He considered all of the remaining experiments to be failures. He was particularly critical of the faction system."

Tobias found this most surprising to hear, as he thought Chicago's faction system was the golden child of the bureau.

"I don't understand."

"Well think about it. What was the purpose of the experiments?"

"To produce Divergents."

"Genetically Pures, yes, and was a society where everyone had to conform to a certain way of thinking in order to survive, where those who thought in different ways were feared, even hunted, really the best environment to produce said Divergents?"

Tobias thought about it, thought about all those who registered as Divergent sought to conceal their nature, about those who ended up factionless because of their inability to conform.

"A place where Divergence was a death sentence was probably not the best nurturing environment, no. So Yamaru thought that the experiments weren't producing enough Divergents?"

"Well he thought the system was inherently flawed, yes. He argued that more should have been done to protect Divergents, that the bureau needed to do more than stand idly by, and just rescue Divergents when they could, which he argued only prolonged the experiment if it was meant to end when enough Divergents were in the city. when you think about it, he had a point. I mean the fact that the experiment was still ongoing for almost three hundred years, what exactly does that tell you? I heard he got into a heated debate with the head of the bureau about it, and that his ideas were shot down. When that happened he stormed out of the office, and left the bureau in disgust. After that he just sort of disappeared."

"Until now."

"So it seems."

Tobias thought about what Matthew had told him.

"If the faction system was so detrimental to the producing of Divergents, then why was it introduced, even encouraged, in the first place?"

"It produced the most stable societies," Matthew shrugged, "At least initially."

"Initially?"

"Well, in the long run, most of the experiments with the faction system had essentially collapsed."

"What happened?"

"The same thing that happened here. Factions got into wars, which in turn led to the collapse of their societies."

"So what can you tell me about the people in that video?"

"Well as I'm sure you're aware, the faction system was designed to separate each type of GD, whether they were selfless, peaceful, honest, brave, or intelligent, as a way of maintaining peace. The experiment that the subjects you see here went even further. The idea was that each type would have their own settlement away from the others, so that they could govern themselves the way they liked. If they wanted to interact with the other settlements, then that was their choice, with communities in between made of people who didn't fit in with any of the types, which would produce a new batch of divergents.

Unfortunately it proved to be a disaster, as it eventually led to a war between two of the cities, with others dragged in as well."

"And this has been going on for a while?"

"I believe so."

"For how long?"

"I'm not sure."

Tobias felt disgusted.

"How could the bureau have allowed this to continue?"

"You're really that shocked? Think of the carnage they allowed to happen here. The head only decided to intervene when it got so bad that it threatened the very experiment that had been set up. As far as I know, despite the war going on for so long depicted in that video the whole arrangement remained stable."

"And could the bureau really have done something to stop the fighting if we hadn't stop them?"

"Possibly. But then you know what the Bureau's idea of preventing catastrophes was."

Yes he knew. Had they not stopped them, David would have had everyone at home's mind erased. And yet, by taking down the bureau...

"So you knew about this place, yet you didn't mention to any of us that destroying the bureau meant condemning these people to death?"

"I - I didn't think it was relevant."

"NOT RELEVANT?"

"Tobias, the bureau needed to be taken down, to save your people, to free all of the GDs! I assumed that with the Bureau gone all of the remaining experiments would have collapsed, I'm surprised this is still going!"

Matthew did not like the look on Tobias' face.

"Tobias, what are you thinking of doing?" Matthew gave Tobias a troubled look.

"If this really is happening, and people are dead because of us, because of what we did, then I need to do something to set things right."

Tobias stood up.

"Well, if you're going, then I'm coming with you."

Tobias didn't expect this.

"What?"

Even though Yamaru gave him the choice of bringing along others, he wasn't seriously considering it.

"I also think you should let everyone else know what is happening, and give them the option to help too."

"Why? No, this is something I have to do on my own."

Matthew gave him a look.

"You know Tobias, for someone who grew up in a community of, and whose DNA was designed for selflessness, you're being kinda selfish here for wanting to do this all by yourself."

"SELFISH?"

"We all consented to the plan, we all had a part in taking the Bureau down, it's like you said what's happening is on all of us, not just you."

"You don't understand, whatever Yamaru's got planned, it's sure to be dangerous, I can't risk endangering anyone else-"

"More dangerous than taking down the most powerful organisation in the mid west?"

Tobias stared at him.

"Look, how about we just arrange for everyone to meet up tomorrow morning at your place, everyone who was involved in the plan last year. They don't have to agree but I think you should give them the option. And if you won't invite them I will."

Tobias realised that he wasn't going to win this argument. He sighed in defeat.

"Oh, and Tobias? I think we need to invite everyone. EVERYONE."

Tobias had a feeling he knew who Matthew was referring to.

"You mean….?" He trailed off.

"When was the last time you spoke to her?"

Tobias shifted awkwardly.

"Not since the funeral."

"That long? Well then, I think this would be as good a time as any to get back in touch."

"Yeah!" Tobias laughed, "Right, I can see that going down well. 'Hey I know I haven't spoken to you in almost a year, and I only just now got back in contact to invite you to come along to a perilous mission'!"

"Well, now might be as good time as any."

Tobias considered this.

"I guess I need to speak with her beforehand."

"You do that. Also, Tobias. Be careful."

"Why?"

"Well, this is a former member of the bureau that we're talking about, someone who believed in what they were doing. And I'm sure you remember what the bureau thought of people like you."

Tobias nodded, understanding. People like him, meaning people whose ancestors had their DNA altered, because of which their DNA was considered 'damaged'.

"Well, he did seem interested that I embraced all five virtues. So maybe that will work to my advantage."

* * *

The next morning, Tobias found out that Christina was in the office today. When he asked if she was available, the stunned receptionist went to go get her. Moments later, Christina walked up to him. She was wearing a white shirt with a black jacket and skirt. He guessed that while no longer being obliged to wear faction colours Christina was more comfortable wearing the colours of her previous faction. Then again, most office suits were a mixture of black and white anyway.

"Four?" Christina sounded more wary than pleased, "What are you doing here?"

"It's Tobias now, Christina," Tobias told her.

"Nah." She smiled, "To me you'll always be my jerky instructor Four back from the old days. What are you doing here?" She repeated.

Tobias smiled at her directness.

"Do you want to get a coffee?" He asked.

Christina seemed stunned.

"That still doesn't answer my question."

"I know, but there's something I need to talk to you about and might be better if we had some coffee."

Chistina considered this. Eventually she nodded.

"Okay."

They walked down the corridor.

"You look good," Christina remarked.

"So do you," Tobias replied.

"Thanks, but the fact that you've got the same physique is shocking. I'm surprised that working at a desk job for the past year hasn't made you all skinny and flabby."

Tobias laughed.

"Christina, I worked in a surveillance room for two years, it wasn't exactly a job that kept you regularly fit and strong. Besides, I see you haven't gained any weight."

"Well no, I've kept myself in shape, but I think you'll find that I've lost most of my muscle over the past year, whereas you still look as muscular as ever. I'm surprised you even bother."

Tobias considered this.

"Force of habit, I supposed."

"I can see that. I can't help but notice that you're wearing all black."

This was true. Tobias had come out wearing a black t-shirt, jeans and sneakers.

"What about it?"

"Well Four, I don't know if anyone's let you know yet but the faction system no longer exists. You're free to wear whatever colour you like now."

"You're one to talk."

"Hey, this is just my office outfit. Back home, I've got all sorts of colours, colours that I didn't even think clothes could come in, white, green, pink, blue, red, even grey! As well as black. But seriously Four, if all you've got back home is black then we need to get you a more multi coloured wardrobe."

Christina suddenly blushed.

"Um, I mean, that is to say, um, if you wanted to go, I mean it doesn't have to be me, you could go with someone else, or even by yourself!"

Tobias smiled.

"I'd like that. Going shopping with you."

"Really?"

"Really."

Christina smiled.

"So what is it that you wanted to speak to me about that couldn't be talked about with dry throats?" Christina asked after they bought the coffee.

Tobias told her everything, about the former employee of the Bureau For Genetic Welfare who came to his home, how there was one last active experiment started by the bureau, how people were dying, how the bureau could have done something about it had they not taken it down.

"This Eric guy seems to think that there's something I can do to defuse the situation. Today, at midday, I'm going to join him. Matthew's coming along too, but he suggested that everyone involved should be given a chance to help. You don't have to come along, I won't hold it against you, but if you do, then I won't stop you. "

For a while, Christina didn't say anything. She shook her head.

"You're unbelievable," she told him, "You haven't spoken to me in almost a year, you didn't even try to contact me, and the first time you do it's to ask me to drop everything to join you on this dangerous quest to who knows where where you don't even have all the information!"

Tobias couldn't help but smiled. What he really liked about Christina was how she was straight up honest about how she felt, that you always knew where you stood with her.

Well. Excluding that one incident.

"I told Matthew that you would take it this way."

Christina stared at him. She burst into laughter.

"Yeah. I think I'll pass."

Tobias should have been happy with that answer. He didn't want anyone joining him. Yet the way Christina said it rubbed him the wrong way. Growing up in a community that valued honesty above everything else even when put bluntly and not wanting to be heard was probably not the best place to learn tact.

"What?"

"Look, I'm sorry Four, you can go on this suicide mission if you want to, but my soldier days are done now."

"Christina, these people are dying because of us! Because of what we did!"

"No, because of what Tris did, because of Tris' plan, my only involvement was to protect my family from the memory serum."

There she went again.

"If I seem to recall, you were part of the meetings as much as anyone, you also wanted to take them down!"

"I did! And I'm glad we did, I'm just saying that not all of us have equal guilt, you didn't even want the memory serum to be used!"

"I still wanted the bureau gone, no matter how we did it!"

Tobias sighed.

"Okay. If that's how you feel, then I respect your opinion. Goodbye, Christina."

Tobias turned to walk away.

"That's it?"

Tobias turned back to look at Christina.

"I'm being selfish and insensitive, and you're okay with my answer? You're not even going to try to persuade me even further?"

Tobias felt his anger boiling.

"Christina, what do you want from me?"

"I don't know! But you never would have spoken to me today if this didn't come up, would you?"

Tobias started to regret listening to Matthew.

"You know what? This was a mistake. I told Matthew that I was happy doing this alone."

"So you weren't even going to see me if Matthew hadn't told you to?"

Christina advanced on him.

"You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm still mad!" Tobias shouted, ignoring the passers by, "How could you not expect me to me mad, after the way you disrespected Tris' memory!"

Christina looked hurt.

"Four, I was only trying to be honest."

"Well, I don't know if anyone's let you know, but the faction system is gone, no one has to tolerate anymore smart mouths who say whatever they like regardless of who they hurt!"

And he stormed off.

"You, you are such a-"

Tobias didn't hear what came after, whether it was because Christina didn't know what to add or because he was now far enough away.


	3. The Funeral

**I do not own Divergent or anything related.**

* * *

Commentator: Greetings, all you and Divergent wannabe fans (Which according to the world of Divergent you all of course are since no one could possibly be ONLY selfless, peaceful, honest, brave or smart or none of the above!)! I am the Commentator. You might remember me from such fanfics as 'Harry Potter Abridged With Commentary' and 'Philosopher's Stone With A Difference!' At least you would if you are a reader of Harry Potter fanfiction and came across them when they were put up years ago. Ahem, and this is my assistant, the Professor.

Professor: How do you do.

Commentator: We're to respond to any reviews you might have sent, and answer any questions you might have. So Professor! Open the shoot!

(The Professor does so, and out pops two envelopes)

Commentator: Right then! Our first review comes from Jfb715:

Hmmm... I'm intrigued. It's definitely an original idea and that's not something I can say too often about fanfiction. I like the aspect that Tris isn't universally worshiped after the events of the books. I'm pretty curious to know exactly what Christina said though. I'm glad this story was suggested me

Ah. Interesting use of words, as you'll find out next chapter why Christina would object to Tris being 'worshipped', as well as this chapter what she said.

Professor: Our second review comes from BK2U:

This is an interesting story so far. Very different! I can't wait to see where you take it.

Commentator: It's nice to see that this fanfic got a number of reviews. Compared to ahem, a certain other Divergent fanfic Anonymius wrote.

Professor: Well perhaps if Anonymius continues then maybe that fanfiction will also get reviews.

Commentator: Sure, just as soon as he's got through writing the next chapter. Speaking of which, here's the next one, 'The Funeral'!

* * *

Well.

That proved to be a disaster.

Tobias hadn't meant to leave things so badly with Christina. He didn't even realise all that anger was still in him, that it had been buried deep within him, only to suddenly burst out when that incident was brought up. He still remembered it. The pit was deserted, yet everyone felt that this would be the best place for the funeral. Tobias could not help but stare as Tris laid there on the pyre. Her clothes had been washed, and a scarf wrapped around her neck to conceal the bullet hole that had ended her life. Her skin looked just as warm as it did in life. In fact, she looked as if she might as well been asleep, with her eyes closed and her hands folded on her stomach. But Tobias knew that it was just an illusion. Tris wasn't asleep, at least not a sleep that one could wake up from.

"I can't believe she still has colour," Christina whispered, "I would have thought she'd be pale by now."

Tobias looked at her.

"She's just been made to look like she isn't dead."

Christina gave him a puzzling look.

"Why? Why bother making the body look alive?"

Tobias was taken aback at this answer.

"I guess nobody wants to look at a pale corpse."

Christina, not appearing convinced, turned her attention back to Tris. Do the Candor not embalm or apply cosmetics to their dead? Tobias wondered. He guessed that a faction based on honesty would consider making a corpse appear as it did while alive to be deceptive. It made him wonder if that was the case if the caskets were always closed or open, so that people can look upon the reality of death. Tobias imagined Candor mourners surrounding an open casket, inside a pale, blue tinged corpse. Perhaps they wouldn't have bothered closing the eyes either, instead you have the glassy spheres looking at the ceiling, staring into nothing. Tobias looked back and Tris, and was glad that if that was what Candor did, that's not what they did.

Caleb stood on a box next to the railing, nearby Tris' pyre. As her brother and last remaining relative, Tobias guessed he had the right to speak first at the eulogy. Even if he did betray her.

"Even though we were in the same year, that there was not that much age difference between us, I guess I always acted as the big brother. Ever since we were little, I did my best to encourage her to do what was expected of us, to put others' needs before our own, to not ask questions unless asked to."

Caleb chuckled.

"It's funny. She probably had the impression of me being the ideal Abnegation, that I had a natural talent for selflessness that she herself didn't possess."

Well you certainly proved her wrong, Tobias thought bitterly to himself.

"But in the end, it was clear that she was far more selfless than I ever could be, and far smarter too."

Caleb started to choke up, tears running down his reddening face. Tobias couldn't tell if he was really feeling grief or whether it was just an Erudite act to conceal his true nature.

"Beatrice sacrificed herself for me, even though I was willing to die. She sacrificed her life for all of us, and I will never forget that. From this day forth I shall seek to honour her sacrifice, to use my life to help others, so that it was not in vain."

He turned to look at Tris. Bending down, he brushed the hair away from her forehead and kissed it in typical Abnegation fashion.

"Goodbye, little sister," He said, as tears trickled from his face. Tobias still wasn't sure whether it was just an act.

After he walked down, soon Caleb was followed by others. Although each person's eulogy varied, each having different experiences with Tris, there were common traits. Tris' friends talked about her courage, her intelligence, her selflessness, her will to stand up for others, for what was right, her willingness to sacrifice herself for everyone, how no one would forget what she did for the city. As Tobias watched, he couldn't help but notice that Christina, standing next to him, looked uncomfortable. After Cara had finished, it was now Christina's turn. She stood on the box.

"I hadn't known Tris that long, yet in the short time I knew her, I felt that we had become best friends. She was perhaps the best friend I ever had, one that can never be replaced."

Christina laughed.

"Even though I never would have imagined becomes friends with a stiff, let alone best friends."

Tobias felt a little sting when she called Tris a stiff. Oh well, if she talked about how good friends they were despite Tris being a 'stiff' then he guessed it wasn't that big a deal.

"I remember when I first knew her how frigid she could be, how much fuss she made over a kissing in public!"

This wasn't exactly a typical eulogy. Christina laughed.

"When I first knew her, I was almost convinced she had a death wish, what with the way she spoke to trainers like Four!"

What was she doing?

"I still don't know what it was that drew me to her. Maybe it was because there weren't that many girls I liked, or maybe it was just because we met at the right place at the right time. I remember how she came to my aid when I was dangling off the railing."

Christina started to choke up.

"That's the kind of person she was. She was loyal to her friends. Well, except when they were trying to kill her!"

Why was she bringing that up? Tobias thought. Tears emerged from her eyes.

"She was selfless, brave, and smart."

That sounded more like it.

"But she was also unforgiving, she could get angry and upset easily,and she could be brutal."

What the Hell was she doing? Christina chuckled.

"Well, just to those who deserved it. But I don't know if it was because of what Dauntless tried to make her, or whether it just unleashed this inner darkness that she had I d-"

Christina stopped. Tobias had strolled forward without thinking. A remaining tear tricked down her cheek. Christina started at him, as if she was expecting him to say something.

"Christina, get off the box," Were the words that came out of his mouth.

"Wh-what?" Chistina stammered. She scanned the rest of the crowd. Tobias wondered if they all had the same furious look that he had. Obviously they must have, because it seemed she felt pressured to step down. As she turned to rejoined the crowd, Tobias could see that everyone else did have looks that ranged from angered to disapproval. Christina stood apart from everyone else.

Being the last person left to speak, Tobias stood on top of the box. He looked down at Tris.

"You all probably think that the first time I met Tris was when she first jumped. But that would be untrue. The first time I saw her was before that, two years before. They say that everyone in Abnegation look alike. Indeed, that's the point, so that no one stands out, so that it's easier to forget yourself. Yet out of everyone out of Abnegation this girl stood out for me. And to think, that same girl who caught my eye would fall into my arms two years later. Someone who like me was Abnegation but chose to be Dauntless, though I think her decision was braver compared to mine.

"Funny thing is, though, Tris didn't think of herself as selfless, that she had failed to become so. But I saw that wasn't true, that someone who took knives thrown at her head to save a friend, who took a belt to save me, this person was as selfless as they came, that she was most brave when she was selfless."

Tobias took a moment to swallow the lump in his throat.

"I told her that she was brave, selfless, and deadly smart, and that remained the same until she died. Tris Prior represented the best of Dauntless, the best of selflessness. Her sacrifice saved everyone. My only regret is that I will never spend my life with her."

Tobias stepped down and walked towards Tris' body, his eyes fixed on her face. He bent down and kissed her cold lips for the final time. Rising up, his eyes remained fixed on her face. Tris' eyes opened. She smiled at Tobias.

"Hey," She greeted, lifting her hand to caress his cheek. Tobias smiled.

"Hey. I thought I lost you."

He made the same gesture, placing his hand on her cheek.

"Never. You'll never lose me again."

But that was only in his head. In reality, Tris' eyes remained closed, she did not wake up. Tobias saw drops of water fall on her face. Standing up, he took the flaming torch nearby and set the pyre alight. He rejoined the group to watch. He watched Tris' body being engulfed by the flames. His eyes felt wet in the face of the heat. Soon there was no more Tris. And that was when he realised that she was gone. Truly gone. Unable to watch anymore, Tobias walked away, the smoke rising to the ceiling of the pit.

He didn't know where he was going. Tobias walked down a dark hallway. At the end was the drinking fountain, once bathed in blue light, now dark . It was then that he remembered this was where he met Tris after Al's funeral, who was angry over how Eric painted Al's death as courageous, blaming Dauntless for twisting the young Candor transfer. His thoughts became of her hands over his body. How he'll never be touched by those hands again.

"Four?"

The voice of the person speaking to him sent a jolt of anger through him. He turned to face Christina.

"Four, are you o-?"

"What the Hell was that?" Tobias demanded.

Christina blinked?

"What? What are you talking -?"

"You had no right!" Tobias advanced at her, "No right to say those things about Tris! I thought she was your friend, your best friend, how could you do that to your best friend?"

Christina seemed to struggle for words.

"Are you still upset over what happened to Will? Is that it? Christina, she had no choice! Tris did what anyone would have done! I know you cared about him, but-"

"I know that!" Christina was in tears now, "I know Will gave Tris no other option, how can you think that I still blame her?"

"Well it's the only thing I can think of as to you paint your best friend as an angry, violent, cold hearted bitch!"

Now Christina looked offended.

"That's not what I said!"

"Well you might as well have! Christina, I know you were raised to say whatever the hell you liked about someone but can't you even withhold that Candor smart mouth tongue of yours in order to respect the dead?"

What made Tobias even angrier was the angry, puzzled look that Christina was giving him, as if he was the one at fault here, like she didn't even understand that what she did was wrong.

"What was I supposed to do?" She asked angrily, "Just lie and make her out to be someone she wasn't, like what Eric did to Al?"

Nothing she had said had made Tobias angrier than comparing Tris to Al.

"She's not Al!"

"I didn't say that she was , but Tris wasn't perfect. She had her faults."

"That's irrelevant! Christina, you don't say stuff like that at someone's funeral! Maybe if you were Candor I'd be a bit more understanding, but you're not, you were Dauntless! You didn't choose to be honest, you chose to be brave, and in Dauntless, we don't speak ill of our dead!"

"No you pretend they don't have any faults and make them out to be perfect, wonderful people when they weren't!"

It was too much. Christina had become too much for Tobias to bear.

"Leave me."

Christina realised that she had crossed a line.

"Four, I didn't mean-"

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Giving Tobias a tearful look, Christina turned and ran away. Tobias was glad to be rid of her. He paced the hallway, angry over the things Christina said, and upset over losing Tris.

"Tobias?"

Tobias now turned to face his second least favourite person of the group. Caleb stood there. Tobias' eyes fell down to look at a white urn he was holding.

"Are those -?"

He couldn't even finish that sentence. Caleb nodded. They gathered the remains already? How long had he been strutting up and down?

"I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Abnegation don't hold onto the remains of the deceased."

Tobias nodded.

"Or Erudite?"

It was an accusation, a reminder to Caleb that he was no longer Abnegation. Caleb walked towards him.

"I'm sure that you would rather hold onto these than me. You were more family to Beatrice than I ever was."

You sure proved that. And once again you're abandoning your sister.

"And I'm sure that she would prefer that you would hold onto these too."

Instead of making his feelings clear, however, Tobias lifted his hands to accept the urn.

"Thank you," He told him.

Caleb turned to walk away.

"What will you do now?"

Caleb turned back.

"I need to make the most of the life Beatrice gave me. Maybe use it to help people."

And he walked away.

Tobias didn't remember meeting anyone else after that. After securing his apartment, he left the urn on the shelf by his bed. At first, there were times when the pain was so unbearable that he held the urn at night, wrapping his arms around the cold marble, pressing his lips against the top. It was not the same, yet it was all he had left of her. It occurred months later to him that Christina was trying to comfort him, the same girl who had saved his life. And he repaid her by yelling at her. He didn't just avoid Christina because he was angry, but because he felt ashamed too. He was still mad at her, and how she behaved at the funeral was inexcusable, but still perhaps it wasn't her fault that she was raised to be honest, even when it wasn't appropriate. Tobias had hoped to have started mending things today, but that didn't exactly work out the way he intended.

* * *

Later that morning, Tobias returned to his apartment, and soon enough, the others from the group filed in; Caleb, Cara, Amar and Matthew. There was no point inviting Peter. Tobias thanked everyone for coming. Putting the pad Yamaru gave him on the table, Tobias explained what he had been told and how he had been asked to help, also being told that given he had helped take down the only people who could have helped them that he had an obligation to these people. He swiped the pad so that everyone could see the images. While he was explaining this, there was a knock on the door. Tobias was startled. He wasn't expecting anyone else to come.

"Excuse me."

He walked towards the door and opened it. He definitely wasn't expecting this person to be here!

Christina stood outside the door.


	4. Truth Or Lie?

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Commentator: Welcome back my divergent wannabe friends, to the latest chapter of 'War of The Five Cities'! Before we begin let's take a look at some of the reviews you've sent us. Professor! Open the shoot!

(The Professor does so, and out pops eight envelopes)

Wow, we've got tons of reviews this time! Hey Prof, do we still have that word limit to take no longer than a quarter of the actual chapter?

Professor: Yes Sir. So we only have seven hundred words to respond to these.

Commentator: Damn. That might not be enough. Oh well. Let's have a go! Our first review is from Eunice339:

Great job making Christina's eulogy as awkward as possible...I was cringing while reading it. No Zeke, Shauna, George or Nita? Looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Uh oh. Did Anon really miss out on some of the people who took the bureau down?

Professor: Let me check, Sir. (checks the computer) Hmmm. No it seems that neither Zeke, Shauna or George were involved.

Commentator: Phew!

Professor: But Nita was.

Commentator: What, let me see! (Checks the computer) Damn! How will Anonymius get out of this one? Hmm, maybe they'll meet up later and - oh wait, she's in a wheel chair, so she wouldn't be that helpful anyway! Ahem, no offence to anyone watching this who is in a wheelchair, it's just that for what they would be going on to do it would be hard for Nita. As for the others, the only people who were invited were the ones involved in taking the bureau down so neither Zeke, Shauna or George were involved. Wait, who was Shauna again?

Professor: Zeke's girlfriend.

Commentator: He had a girlfriend? Ah right, okay. Also it's nice to see that Christina's eulogy was hard to hear, because even though it wasn't exactly nasty, it did include bits that you really wouldn't say in a eulogy unless you were depressed and upset at how people were misrepresenting someone they knew. So how are we doing on the word limit?

Professor: About three hundred to go.

Commentator: Wow, really? Damn, that might not be enough time to answer all of these! Let's see, where is a good one? (Rummages through the reviews) Hmmmm. Aha! Here's one from inopinion:

whuhoh... drama llamas all of them. Tobias just needs to stop running and start talking. he has to have room for other people's feelings and perspectives to lead what will be a diverse group to this new experiment. I'm engaged.

...Interesting that you brought that up, as what part of this fic is about is visiting places that have different perspectives and values, even if you may not agree with those values to the point where you might consider some of it to be wrong or even immoral. How are we doing on time?

Professor: About two hundred to go.

Commentator: Aha! So we might have time for just one more. This one is also from Inopinion:

wow, that's a lot of emotional manipulation! i am intrigued. thanks for bringing a new concept to the fandom.

Hey Prof? Is this fanfic really so unique?

Professor: Well let's see. Well, from what I've seen from the first page of Divergent fanfiction, the most popular with twenty percent each are AUs set in a real world high school or following an original character, followed by sixteen percent of those other AUs with characters making different choices, followed by eight percent each of no war fics and those romances redeeming Eric, with 20 percent miscellaneous including Tobias mourning Beatrice, deleted scenes, a tris, Peter romance, following a secondary character, a story involving babysitting and a no war story, but no, nothing about characters going to a different experiment.

Commentator: Wow, really?

Professor: Really.

Commentator: Huh. I guess it must be pretty unique. So there are those that-

Clock: TING!

Professor: And we're out of time.

(The Commentator shocks the Clock, causing it to fall backwards)

Commentator: That was really seven hundred words?

Professor: Six hundred and sixty nine to be precise.

Commentator: -Seriously? That was a quarter of this friggin chapter? Oh right, fine! Here's the next chapter, 'Truth or Lie'.

* * *

"Hey," Christina greeted.

Tobias was a little wary and confused.

"Hey."

"Is it all right if I come in?"

Tobias felt as though there was an invisible wall between them. He wanted to ask why she was here, but then decided that there had been enough arguing between them today.

"Sure."

Tobias moved out of the way to let her in.

"Hey, it looks like the whole gang's here! Hi Cara! Hi Amar! Hi Matthew! Caleb."

Everyone greeted Chistina back. Tobias couldn't help but notice the cold tone when she said hello to Caleb. He guessed she hadn't exactly forgiven him for betraying Tris either.

"So anyway, as I was saying, I'm going to join Yamaru with trying to bring peace to this place. You're all welcome to join me, but I won't hold it against you if you say no."

Matthew stood up.

"I'll join you. I knew about these people's existence, and I said nothing. I bear the burden of guilt more than any of you guys, so the need to make amends is more on me than anyone else."

Soon Cara stood up.

"I was part of the plan that took the Bureau down. If these people are dying because of me, then I need to do something about it."

Amar then stood up.

"Sure, I don't mind having one last big hurrah with your guys!"

To Tobias' surprise, Caleb stood up.

"I was useless the last time we tried to do something like this. Beatrice died so that I could live. Maybe I can now use my life to save these people."

And to even more of Tobias' surprise, Christina stood up.

"Sure, why not?"

Instead of pleasing him, Christina's desire to join them only irritated Tobias.

So that was it. Everyone was in.

"We'll meet before midday, at the same place where we first left the city."

Everyone got up to leave.

"Christina, can I talk to you?"

Christina stopped to turn around. She stayed behind.

"What are you doing here?"

He didn't mean it as an accusation, even though that's how it came out.

"What do you mean?"

"Earlier today you made it perfectly clear that you had no interest in helping these people, now suddenly you changed you mind?"

"Well, I thought about it, and decided maybe I am partially responsible for what is happening, and that I should do something about it. Besides I – didn't like how we left things."

Tobias nodded.

"Me neither."

"Hey, is it alright if I see Tris' ashes?"

Tobias felt stung when she said that. Probably because he had always referred to the urn in his head as 'Tris' rather than making any direct reference to what was inside.

"Sure."

He led her into his bedroom. When Christina saw the urn, she started to cry.

"Why? Why did you have to burn her?"

This took Tobias by surprise.

"Candor isn't big on cremation, I take it?"

"Not really no. Well, some do, but many prefer burial. Personally I don't like the idea of my body being torched after I'm gone or those belonging to my loved ones. It seems wrong somehow."

This especially angered Tobias.

"So you respect the remains of the dead to the point that you consider cremation to be desecration, yet you feel the need to say whatever you like about them when they're dead?"

Christina looked stung.

"I'm sorry," Tobias quickly apologised, "I shouldn't have said that."

"No, I think you should have. It's best we talk about this."

"Christina, now's not the time!"

"Now's the perfect time! If we're really going on this adventure together then it's best we get this cleared up in case we have another blow up! There's an old saying among the Candor; if you have a problem with someone, better it's out in the open rather than letting it fester inside you."

Tobias considered this.

"Funny. For Abnegation it was the opposite. For us it was if you have a problem with someone best keep it to yourself and suffer in silence rather than making anyone else suffer."

"Yeah, because that sounds healthy!" Christina laughed, "What do the Dauntless say on the matter?"

Tobias thought about it.

"Not sure. Probably to duke it out."

"Yeah!" Christina laughed, "That definitely sounds like the Dauntless route!"

Both laughed. Perhaps talking about this sooner would have prevented the blow up earlier today, yet Tobias also knew that being honest wouldn't have helped when speaking with Caleb after the funeral either. He guessed that in some situations it was best to be honest, and in others to be selfless. The question was, which was it best to be in this situation?

"I shouldn't have said that Tris had darkness inside of her."

"No you shouldn't have."

"But I'm not apologising for anything else I said."

"Excuse me?"

This wasn't exactly the apology he was expecting.

"Look, I'm sorry Four, but from my perspective, it was the lot of you who were disrespecting Tris' memory."

"US? How – why – what kind of logic is that?"

"Four please," Christina pleaded, "Please try to see it from my point of view, how it was as I listened to all of your eulogies for Tris, how it bugged me, the way everyone painted her, as if she had no faults. Even Cara I thought would have something to say negatively about her. I mean she did kill her brother and all. And I know Tris had no choice," Christina quickly added before Tobias could interrupt her, "But you should have heard the things Cara said about her. And that was her way of trying to defend her!"

"I guess even Erudite understand that you don't speak ill of the dead, even if you might have hold a grudge against them."

"Yes I'm well aware of that. I know what happens in other funerals, how people overlook the deceased's failings and magnify their strengths, making them out as if they were perfect, wonderful people. I still remember what Eric did to Al at his funeral, making him out to be someone he wasn't, it was disgusting! It was like taking his body and twisting and mutilating it to the point that it was no longer recognisable! It was the worst thing he had ever done to him!"

Tobias was surprised to hear this, as he thought Eric speaking positively about Al was the best thing he had done to him. He remembered though how upset Tris was over what he said, how he portrayed the boy's suicide as courageous rather than a sign of weakness.

"What's wrong with not talking about the deceased's failings or emphasising their strengths?"

Somehow Tobias knew the answer before it was given.

"What's wrong is that it's dishonest! That mourners are being dishonest to themselves and they're being dishonest about the departed! When someone in Candor died, at their funeral everyone who spoke at their eulogy says honestly what that person was like, good and bad."

"What if there's nothing positive to say?"

"Well usually there's at least something positive to say about them."

"Really? Even Peter?"

"Well okay, there are exceptions to the rule, but you know even he had some redeeming qualities. Besides why bother saying anything positive about someone who was rotten in life?"

"Because you're not supposed to say anything negative about someone when they've died," Tobias tried to explain almost through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, see, I've never really understood that. I mean surely the best time to speak about someone honestly is when they're dead, isn't it?"

"Why?"

"Why? Well they're dead, aren't they? It's not like they can hear you so why worry about offending them?"

Tobias was stunned when he heard this. He had told Tris something similar, after Al had died, how he couldn't hear anyone now, although in that case he was talking about how it was pointless to reprimand him rather than saying whatever you wanted about him.

"Well it's not just for the deceased's sake, is it? What about the loved ones? I'm sure they wouldn't like anything negative said about the deceased."

"Four, I came from a community that valued honesty about everything else! The family would prefer that those who knew the deceased spoke honestly about him or her!"

"Even if it was something really negative?"

"Like I said, we value honesty above everything else. Even though that's not the same for everyone else. I guess I really should have taken that into account, that the rest of you weren't Candor and you don't necessarily want the truth to be brought up at a funeral."

"It's not a question of truth and lie, it's a question of respecting the departed's memory."

"But that's the thing. It's not their memory you're respecting!"

"-I don't understand."

"I mean it's one thing to misrepresent them at their own funeral, but people go on with this distorted image of their loved ones even long after they're gone. I mean in all these months you've mourned Tris you've probably forgotten the last time you had a fight, haven't you?"

That was none of Chrstina's business, Tobias thought. Then again, did he and Tris ever fight? He couldn't remember.

"Everywhere I go, I hear people talk about Tris, even total strangers who didn't know her, like she was some perfect girl, like she could walk on water. But that's not the Tris I remember. Don't get me wrong, I loved Tris, I meant what I said at the funeral, she was my best friend and she's irreplaceable. And in many ways she was an amazing girl, brave, smart, selfless and all that. But she wasn't perfect. She had her flaws and to deny she had any is to deny what made her, well, Tris."

"It's not denying who she was," Tobias tried to correct, "It's just not drawing attention to those certain aspects of her."

"Except those aspects are part of what made her who she was! A girl who was brave, but who did have a temper. Selfless, but could be unforgiving to those who wronged her. Intelligent but emotional at times. That's the Tris I knew, the one I want to remember, the one who made a fuss about kissing in public when I first knew her. That was my best friend, not this perfect, saintly, noble, bigger than ordinary people person that everyone else seem to remember her as! I mean you know the reason why Candor wear black and white, right?"

Tobias nodded.

"Because you believe that the subject of truth and lying is black and white and your clothes reflect that."

"Well, it's partly that I suppose, but I like to think that there's another reason."

"And what's that?"

"That by wearing black and white, we accept that there is good and bad in the world, light and dark. And we're okay with that, because it's the mixture that make us human."

Tobias thought about this. He laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"It's ironic really. That people whose ancestors were designed to be more than human appreciate what it means to be human more than anyone else."

Christina sighed.

"Oh Four. Don't tell me you're going on about that genetic purity, damaged rubbish David tried to indoctrinate us with, are you?"

Tobias laughed even harder. There was something strangely beautiful about Candor's commitment to truth, to the reality of things. The problem was that they can be so blunt about it, like having a light shoved in your face.

"So, are we okay now?" Christina asked.

Tobias stared at her. He nodded.

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Let's just say that you won't have any more outbursts from me during this mission."

Christina smiled.

"That's better than nothing, I guess."

She turned towards the door.

"See you outside the city."

"So you're boss is perfectly happy with you leaving work like this?"

"Let's just say saving the world has it's benefits."

She walked towards the door.

"Just out of curiosity," Tobias said.

Chistina stopped to look at him.

"If you were given the chance to speak about Al, what would you have said?"

Christina shrugged.

"Just who he was. A kind hearted boy who was helpful to his friends, who got twisted by the initiation process, and died because of it."

"That sounds more like a fair picture I guess. And what about me?"

Christina now looked concerned.

"Why are you asking that?"

"Just curious as to what you would say at my funeral."

Christina smiled.

"I'd say you were brave, and kind. But you could also be a jerk at times."

"Fair enough. Just so I know what to expect."

He turned away.

"Four."

Tobias turned back at Christina. She was giving him a worried look.

"You're not thinking of dying, are you?"

Tobias was taken aback by this question.

"What, no, why would you think that?"

"Be honest with me, you haven't chosen to go along with this because you think it's going to be a suicide mission, have you?"

"What, no!" Tobias hadn't even thought of that, "Christina, no! I have no intention of dying!"

Christina examined him, as if checking for any signs that he was lying.

"Good," She sighed, "Just checking."

"You don't have to worry about me, Christina," Tobias tried to assure her, "I was raised Abnegation. We don't believe in suicide."

"Then what do you call what you tried to do last year?"

Tobias was reminded of the time that he had almost drank the memory serum. He didn't think of it like that at the time, but he guessed in a way it would have been suicide.

"No one believes in suicide. But that doesn't stop those if life becomes too much for them. It's just that I worry about you, Four. I stopped you from drinking that memory stuff, to encourage you to keep on living, but have you been living? Or have you just been staring at that urn most of the time?"

Tobias didn't know how to respond.

"Well, like I said, see you outside the city."

And she left. Tobias thought about what she said. Had he been living? He tried to think about what he had been doing for the past year. He had always been busy at work, but what had been doing outside of work? He couldn't remember. He remembered how people, old friends asked him to join them, but always telling them that he was busy, which was actually a lie. Had all he'd been doing was laying on the bed, looking at Tris' urn, talking to his dead girlfriend? He also remembered something else. Some time while at the bureau, he and Tris quarrelled over him being against them, and they broke up because of that. He had completely forgotten about that fight. Did they have any others? Maybe Christina was right. Maybe people do have a tendency of idealising their lives with certain people when they're gone. But he didn't want to remember those bad times, he only wanted to remember the good. He didn't want to remember anything that tainted his memory of Tris. But according to Christina, not embracing the bad stuff was itself tainting Tris' memory. Well, maybe that's how the Candor felt, but Tobias wasn't Candor. Just because he believed in being honest didn't mean he had to accept the extremes that Candor took! Tobias found that he still couldn't completely forgive Christina for what she said. Whereas he could understand her point of view, he still believed that it was wrong to bring up anything negative about the deceased at their funeral. Her almost callous disregard for the deceased also unsettled him. But he thought that his personal feelings shouldn't get in the way. Regardless of what Christina had been taught that it was better to say anything that troubled you out in the open, he knew that the truth could easily destroy a bond as much as it could strengthen it. And he couldn't let anything jeopardise what needed to be done. Putting on a jacket, Tobias turned towards Tris' urn. He pressed his fingers to his lips before placing them at the top of the urn.

"I shouldn't be gone for too long," He told the urn.

And who knows? Maybe I'll end up joining you.


	5. The Land Of The Five Cities

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Professor: Greetings, reader. As you can see, I am the Professor. Usually it would be the Commentator who introduces this part, but an issue had been brought up about the previous chapter and considering that I am the more calm and tactful member I have taken it upon myself to explain.

(The Commentator mutters something as he grumbles in the corner)

Professor: Ahem. Now then, we had received a couple of complaints about the last reviews response to have been too long, as well as taking a reader out of a story. We apologise for any distress this might have caused anyone, as we had done this for years and no one had complained before. At least, never this serious anyway. So a compromise has been made. From now on, all responses to reviews shall be at the end of each chapter rather than at the beginning.

Commentator: WHAT? You can't do that, Prof!

Professor: Sir, we discussed this before the beginning of -

Commentator: But you can't respond to reviews of one chapter at the end of another! That's crazy talk, Prof! Stop talking crazy!

Professor: Sir, do you really want to alienate any readers?

Commentator: Didn't Iron Man 3 have a similar reason to giving us a fake Mandarin?

Professor: I thought you liked the twist when it turned out the Mandarin was just an actor?

Commentator: Well, yes, I guessed the only place that twist could be made would be in film -

Professor: In all seriousness Sir, we don't want to risk people stopping to review. You know how important reviews are to Anonymius.

Commentator: ... I suppose. I guess I don't want what happened to 'Divergents' to happen to this either. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to muttering in my corner.

(The Commentator mutters something as he grumbles in the corner)

Professor: Ahem. So, if you want to see responses to the last chapter, you will find them at the bottom of this chapter. In the meantime, please enjoy the next instalment, 'The Land of the Five Cities.'

* * *

Tobias got off the train at the furthest station, at the same place where they had jumped off to leave the city a year before. He waited for the others. Matthew and Amar both offered to drive everyone for the remainder of the journey. Soon he was met up with Caleb, Cara, and Christina. Tobias noticed that everyone was wearing their old faction colours today (although Caleb's clothes were darker than the usual Erudite). Christina had come out wearing a black t-shirt and trousers. They heard two cars drive up, and Matthew and Amar got out to greet them. From Amar's car came someone Tobias didn't expect to see.

"Georgie? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Oh, I told them what we were doing and he wanted to come along," Amar explained, "I hope that's okay?"

Tobias smiled.

"Sure. The more the merrier," He lied, as he preferred there to be fewer people as possible. Tobias noticed that Christina gave him a look.

Tobias got in Matthew's car whereas everyone else got in Amar's. They drove towards what used to be the Amity settlement, passed where the fence used to stand. Tobias still found it weird that it was no longer there. He watched the farmers who were once Amity continuing to farm the land; Compared to the city, this part was the least changed. It made sense as Amity were the least integrated compared to the other factions, but here you would have thought the faction system was still around. Perhaps a few no longer wore the Amity colours of red and yellow (Then again the colour of clothing was never was as big an issue among Amity as it was with the others) and some looked less...happy, maybe? But still many still wore red and yellow and had that happy look on their faces (Tobias guessed that Peace serum was still popular here), although the same jovial atmosphere that once existed was gone.

Soon they approached the former headquarters of the Bureau for Genetic Welfare. There Yamaru was waiting for them, in front of a vehicle that Tobias did not recognise. It looked like some kind of van, but it had no wheels and had two sets of four blades spinning on the top. It also had something that resembled a tail, with something like the four blades on top but smaller. It was constantly making a noise, likely coming from the spinning blades. Everyone got out to meet him.

"Ah, glad you could make it!" Yamaru greeted, "I knew you would come!"

He was wearing the same attire as yesterday, with the exception that he was no longer wearing gloves, showing a gold ring around the index finger of his right hand.

"I see that you got the whole band back together! Well, minus Peter, but I see the others are here. Caleb, Cara, Amar, Christina and you must be Matthew, right?"

He held out his hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet a former member of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare."

Matthew just stared at him. Yamaru frowned.

"It is considered polite to shake a hand when offered," He told him. There was almost a threatening edge to his tone. Tobias gave him a look to say that it was best just to shake. Reluctantly, Matthew took the hand.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Yamaru now turned his attention to Georgie.

"Mr Wu! I thought you would get tangled up in this!"

Georgie nodded.

"Mr Yamaru."

Tobias looked between each men. Do they know each other? Of course they know each other. Matthew wasn't around when Yamaru worked for the Bureau, but Georgie had been there for years, so they must have met.

"I hear that you're now the chief of police for Chicago. You've done quite well for yourself. It's a shame though. Given your intellectual background you could have done better."

Yamaru looked around.

"Oh, no offence to you who chose Dauntless, but you didn't come from the same background as George here."

"Even so, I don't regret the choices I made," Georgie told him.

Yamaru shrugged.

"Suit yourself. I suppose you'd have been at no lesser risk in your original faction than you were in Dauntless."

Christina glared at him. Tobias wondered if she was thinking of Will, who like Georgie came from an 'intellectual background' as Yamaru put it but chose a path that some would consider more 'gruntish'. Then again unlike Georgie Will wasn't divergent, so he would have had no choice but to leave his faction, although he heard that Will left of his own choice. Tobias guessed what sort of faction Yamaru would have chosen.

"Right then," Yamaru smiled, "Off we go! Follow me inside, please."

"Wait, we're supposed to go to wherever it is you're taking us in that?" Christina pointed.

Yamaru looked at her, fiddling with the ring on his finger.

"Yyes. Is there a problem?"

"Well," Christina laughed, "No offence, Mr Yamaru, but that thing doesn't even have any wheels!"

Tobias shared her confusion. How were they supposed to travel in that? He looked around, and saw that no one else had the same puzzled look. He guessed that Amar, Georgie and Matthew, having worked for the bureau, would know how this vehicle would work. Caleb and Cara, now having more access to outside information than they did a year before would also probably recognise it. Yamaru continued to smile.

"Oh you'll see."

Everyone started to file in after Yamaru.

"Oh, and Caleb?"

Caleb turned to look at Yamaru.

"My condolences for your losses. Not many people lose their entire family, at least in separate circumstances."

Caleb nodded.

"Thank you, Sir. I've dedicated my life to be someone that my family would have been proud of."

Yamaru smiled.

"Glad to hear it," He patted him on the shoulder. Tobias wondered why he was only giving condolences to Caleb, to Caleb of all people, when others had lost those as well.

Everyone sat down.

"Oh, Four," said Amar, "You'd probably don't want to sit near the window seat."

Tobias was confused.

"Why?"

Why did Amar think that Tobias wouldn't want to sit near the window?

He felt the vehicle rise.

Oh no. No no no no! Tobias realised how they were getting there, how this vehicle worked. It made sense that someone from the Bureau would travel this way to get to somewhere far off. Tobias glanced outside, and saw that they had already left the ground.

"Hey. You okay?" Christina asked sympathetically.

Tobias looked at her.

"I'm fine." He told her. Christina did not look impressed with his answer.

"Four, the faction system is no longer around," she reminded him, "You don't have to act all fearless and tough anymore. No one would care."

Tobias looked up to see the concerned looks of the members of his group.

"I would," He answered. Tobias would not something like his fear of heights get in the way.

"Right then, we should be at our destination in about an hour," Yamaru informed them.

Tobias didn't want to, but he glanced another look outside, to see that they had already left what they had only known behind them, flying into the unknown.

* * *

It had been almost an hour, an hour passing over woodlands, buildings, rivers and fields. Despite his uncomfortable feeling that they were in the air, Tobias couldn't help but remark how everything looked from here, like it was a huge model or something. Then he saw it. Tobias could see that the grey, metallic structure that seemed to go on and on and stood against what must be a city dwarfed it. He could also see, although it didn't seem much up here, how thick it was.

"Is that - the fence?" Tobias asked.

Yamaru grinned.

"Makes the one in Chicago look unimpressive, doesn't it?"

"What is that cluster of buildings right inside it?"

"Well judging from our flight path, that must be Andiopolis, one of the five cities. I shall explain to you all everything soon."

"Why not now?" Christina asked.

Yamaru looked at her.

"I'm sorry?"

"Why not explain everything to us now?"

"Because I'm not ready to tell you everything now."

"We've been flying for nearly an hour, and you haven't told us anything, I think we deserve to know what we're heading into!"

"And you will, you'll just have to be a little more patient," Yamaru told her, stamping the floor with his cane.

Tobias continued to watch the city below, saw what must be the citizens, looking like ants from up here. After leaving the city, they passed more fields, what must have been other, smaller settlements, rivers and woodlands. About five minutes later Yamaru gathered everyone in front of a board. Caleb was massaging his arm. On the board was a map with a triangle. It had three dots at each angle, and another two between each dot against two of the sides.

"Alright, this-"

Yamaru used his cane to point to the map.

"Is the region that we're in. This -" He pointed to the triangle, "- Is the fence, although despite its official name it's built more like a wall. It is four hundred feet high, and twenty-five feet thick. It was designed to completely seal the region off from the rest of the world and make sure that nothing could get pass it. It was electrified twenty four seven, which was managed by the bureau, although even with them gone, the fence is still impenetrable. It is too high to go over, and is even deep enough so that no one can escape burrowing underground. The armour plating also makes it pretty resistant to most explosions. And these," He pointed to the dots, "Are the five cities; Exypnopolis in the far north" He pointed to the dot furthest up in the triangle, "Andiopolis here," he dragged his cane to the lower dot along the side, "Timiopolis," now he was pointing to the dot in the other angle, "Eirinikopolis," To the dot down the other side, "And Gennaiopolis in the south," before resting at the remaining dot.

"A lot of Polises, then," Chistina remarked.

Yamaru looked at her.

"Yyes, it comes from a Greek word meaning 'city'. The idea was to find a region with five cities of equal distance, with a different type of GD to inhabit each one. Anyone who could not conform would leave the city and populate the area in between."

He circled the area between the cities.

"This is basically the equivalent of factionless. And this –"

He drew a line that tore the triangle in half.

"- Is the current front line of the war. The main opponents are Andiopolis and Gennaiopolis. Both the Exyp and the Timions are allies to Andiopolis, and although Eirinikopolis is currently under Gennai occupation it remains neutral in the war, and has tried its best to bring peace to the belligerents."

So Eirinikopolis values peace, Tobias thought. He could guess then which faction they're the equivalent of.

"Currently we are travelling to Gennaiopolis. We should be there in about five minutes."

Tobias asked the question that he had been wondering about.

"Which faction are they-"

Everyone flew sideways as they crashed into the floor. Dazed, Tobias got up. A loud alarm was going on along with everything flashing red.

"What just happened?"

"Shit!" Yamaru shouted, "We've been hit!"

"Hit? By what?" Tobias demanded to know.

"Likely a missile! We are approaching the front line, but we should have been high enough to be safe from the battle! Excuse me for a minute."

Getting up, Yamaru brushed himself off as he hurried to the cockpit. Tobias couldn't help but admire his calm in the situation. He could feel the helicopter spin and swerve. It was like being on one of those old rides at the amusement park, only on those you knew that you were in no danger. He looked around. Almost everyone looked calm. For former Dauntless like Amar, Georgie and Christina, people who had been trained to control their fear, this was nothing. He was surprised to see that even Cara and Caleb were calm (He guessed that a faction that put reason above everyone else taught you to control your emotions). The only one who was panicking was Matthew. Yamaru returned along with the pilot, Mortimer.

"Right, we're going down," He said rather matter of factly, "Everyone, grab a parachute!"

"A what?" Christina asked.

Yamaru looked at her. He sighed.

"Those things there!"

He pointed to the packages hanging on the wall. Mortimer went to grab one.

"Watch what he does!"

Mortimer strapped the bag on his back like a rucksack.

"The moment you jump out, pull this string here!"

He pointed to the string attached to Mortimer's package.

"And what's that supposed to do?" Christina demanded to know.

Mortimer ran out of the helicopter.

"Hey wait, what are you doing?"

Everyone looked out, moments later a large sheet of some kind of material burst out of Mortimer's package. When it fully came out, still attached to the package, it slowed his fall. Everyone understood.

"Hopefully we'll all meet up on the ground!"

Yamaru had appeared next to the group. He already had his parachute on.

"But what about our stuff -?" Cara started to ask, as they had all brought supplies with them given they had no idea what they would be going into or for how long.

"There's no time!"

"You're bringing that cane!" Christina pointed out.

Yamaru smiled.

"I like this cane."

And he jumped off. Moments later his parachute came out.

Everyone strapped on the parachutes. Georgie and Amar, Tobias' fellow Dauntless, were predictably the first to jump out. Tobias had already made the decision to leave last, to make sure that everyone got off okay. The next to jump were Caleb and Cara, followed by Matthew. Now Tobias and Christina were the only ones left.

"Christina, what are you still doing here?"

"Waiting for you!"

"Christina I'll be fine! You go on first!"

"But - what about your fear of heights?"

"Christina I'll be fine!" Tobias repeated.

He placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I'll be right behind you. But you have to go now!"

Nodding, almost tearful, Christina ran towards the door and jumped out. Tobias watched as she floated down. As he looked down, he froze. Why, why did they have to travel by air? Tobias felt ashamed. Even those who didn't register as brave were able to jump, so why can't he?

"We have to jump off, right?"

Tobias could hear Tris' voice, through time, back to when he took her with him to his fear landscape. Tobias had nodded.

"On three, okay?"

Tobias nodded again.

"One…two…"

"Three!"

And Tobias jumped out. He felt paralysed by fear as he plummeted towards the ground, his eyes fixed on below, but he had to remain in control. If he didn't, then he would die. Tobias pulled the string. He felt himself go up as his parachute unfolded. Soon he felt himself start to float down. He didn't like looking down at the ground, so he looked up, keeping his focus on what was in front. That didn't help, as his feet waved through the air without any solid ground to stand on. He looked down to help him see how far he had left to fall, but that didn't help either. Tobias was caught in a fear trap, between look ahead and looking down. As he floated down he could hear the gunfire, the explosions. He felt something rip through his parachute, a stray bullet maybe. Tobias was now falling, as he plummeted several feet into the ground.

* * *

Tobias was staring at the soil. He didn't know how long he had been lying here. He heard an explosion in the background.

Get up.

Tobias forced himself up.

Get up now!

And he ran for it. He still felt dizzy, his vision unfocused, but he had to keep moving. He could hear gunfire, shouting, screaming and explosions. Who was fighting he didn't know. All he knew was that he had to find safe cover. He ran for the field up ahead. He kept running, through the forest of crops until he needed to stop. Tobias fell to his knees, catching his breath. The others. Tobias felt guilty that he hadn't given the others a thought until now. Where were they? Were they safe? Tobias also realised that he couldn't help them unless he himself was able to, so he had to catch his breath and let his head recover. He stood up. looking around, he saw that he was surrounded by crops. Wild and untamed, they looked as if they had been unintended for some time. Some were even dead. He should be safe for now here, as he caught his breath and his head recovered. There was some rustling up ahead. Should he run or should he stay? No. He couldn't keep running. Maybe he could convince whoever it was about to approach him that he meant them no harm. Someone emerged from the crops. Tobias stared. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible!

Standing in front of him was Tris.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Commentator: Welcome back my divergent wannabe friends to the latest chapter of "The War of The Five Cities"! Before we begin let's take a look at some of the reviews you've sent us. PROFESSOR! OPEN THE SHOOT!

Professor: Wait, what? Begin? Sir, what are you t-

Commentator: I said, 'OPEN THE SHOOT'!

Professor: Okay.

(The Professor does so, and out pops two envelopes)

Commentator: Huh. Not as many as last time.

Professor: Well we did receive reviews for more than one chapter before.

Commentator: Even so, I was sure we'd receive more than - well anyway, our first review is from Eunice339:

Thanks for your hilarious clarification on the cast of characters in your A/N. I enjoyed seeing both Christina's and Tobias' arguments for their perspective, each made valid points. Looking forward to the next chapter as they go outside the city.

Well it's nice to see that someone likes us! Wait a minute, that sounded WAY too polite for me. Anon, did you just edit my speech so I wouldn't offend anyone?

Professor: Our second review is from Jfb715:

Commentator: Hey, I'm not done -

Professor: "It was nice to get into Christina's head for a little bit, see why she acted the way she did. I'm excited for more!"

Commentator: Oh. Well that's nice to hear! Well if that's all, let's head to the next chapter "The Land of the Five Cities!"

Sammy: (Wait, didn't we already do this chapter?)

Professor: (I think Sir's in the middle of denial)


	6. Captured

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Tris was wearing all red; red trousers, red boots, with a red bullet proof vest over a red tank top. Her long hair was tied back and a helmet strapped on her head. In her hands was a rifle. Tobias couldn't believe his eyes. How could she be here?

"Tris-?"

Tris rammed the end of her gun in his face, knocking him into the ground. When he opened his eyes, Tobias saw the barrel pointing down at him. As his vision focused, the image of Tris melted away. Although this girl had blond hair, she was older, taller, not as skinny and was more attractive.

"You're a little far from your platoon, aren't you Andy?"

Whoever this girl was, she had mistaken Tobias for someone named Andy.

"You know, it's generally considered by my people cowardly to shoot an unarmed person, but then again this is war after all."

She loaded her weapon.

"One less Andy to deal with."

And pointed it at him. Tobias raised his hands.

"Wait wait wait wait!"

He wasn't afraid of dying, but if he really could bring peace to this place then he needed to stay alive, and he needed to finds the others.

"Please don't kill me!"

The girl opened her eye.

"What did you just say?"

"Please-" Tobias got up, "Please-"

He backed away, his hands still raised.

"I mean you no harm."

The girl continued to stare at him, as if he was something she couldn't quite comprehend.

"Who are you?" She demanded to know, pointing her gun at him again.

"My name is Tobias."

"Name? You have a name?"

Tobias didn't understand the question.

"Of course I have a name! Doesn't everyone?"

The girl continued to frown at him.

"You're not an Andy?"

"A what?"

"An Andy! An Andion, a citizen of Andiopolis!"

"What no!"

Then why are you dressed like that?"

"Dressed like what?"

"Are you apart of the allied troops then?"

"No, I'm not a soldier, I'm a civilian!"

"What's a civilian doing in the middle of a war zone?"

"It's a long story," Was the best answer Tobias could give her.

The girl smiled at him.

"Well, lucky for you I don't have time for long stories. Hands behind your head!"

Tobias thought that it was best he did what he was told.

"Now, turn around!"

Tobias did so. He felt the gun being poked in his back.

"Now keep moving!"

"Please! I need to find my friends!"

"And I need to get back to my friends!"

* * *

Moments later, Tobias was brought to a group of soldiers sitting down on the grass, laughing and drinking. Most were guys, although there were a couple of girls as well. All were wearing red, with the same bullet proof vests and helmets. Everyone looked in their twenties, and Tobias could see that they all were very good looking. He had never seen such a bunch of beautiful people in one place before. As they approached, the soldiers looked in their direction. One of them stood up.

"Lyta!"

He walked towards them. He was short, slim built, had a thin face, straight nose, dark brown eyes and black curly hair. Whereas he was by no means plain the soldier was significantly less attractive compared to the others. Like the girl he wore a tank top. Tobias guessed that he must be the leader of this squad.

"Where did you go? And why are you keeping this Andy alive?"

Why were these people so convinced that he was one of the enemy?

"Flash, this isn't an Andy," The girl called Lyta tried to explain.

The solider called Flash raised his eyebrows.

"Really? Sure looks like an Andy."

Seriously, what was it about him that made them think he was an Andion?

"Trust me, he's not."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because he said 'me' and 'I'!"

"...So?"

"So, you know the Andies never say 'I' or 'me'! It's always 'a soldier' this and 'a citizen' that! He even has a name!"

"Lyta, for all you know it could be just a trick to make us think he's a normal person! Wouldn't put it passed the Andies to do that. You know what?" He loaded the pistol in his hand, "It'll be safer if we just kill him now."

He raised his gun at Tobias' head. Tobias had to think of something, otherwise this man was going to kill him. Wait. What was it that the girl named Lyta said earlier?

it's generally considered by my people cowardly to shoot an unarmed person.

Tobias understood. He understood who these people were the equivalent of.

"What's the matter?" He jeered, "Afraid?"

The leader froze.

"What did you just say to me?"

"I'm calling you a coward," Tobias continued, "For wanting to shoot an unarmed person whose intentions you have no idea of just because of a chance they might be the enemy. If you were really brave then you wouldn't make a decision based on fear."

The soldier Lyta called Flash pressed the barrel in Tobias' forehead.

"I will not have my honour questioned by an Andy!"

"So you're not motivated by fear?" Tobias questioned.

"Of course not!" He withdrew the gun, "I-"

He looked around, to see the uncertain faces of his comrades.

"It's not a question of fear. It's a question of pragmatism. I need to protect my squad from any potential risk, no matter how small."

"Look, I'm not who you think I am. I'm not your enemy. I'm one of you. I'm one of the brave."

The soldiers stared at him.

"You're fearless?"

Tobias nodded.

"You don't look like one of us."

"That's because I'm not from here. I'm from – beyond the fence."

They continued to stare at him.

"Riiiiight, you're from beyond the fence. And I'm Gennaius reborn! What kind of idiots do you take us for? There's nothing beyond the fence! It's all just - barren wasteland or something!"

"How do you know, ever seen it?" Tobias asked.

"Even if you were from where you say you are, how would you get passed the fence? It's electrified and you can't dig under it."

No one knew that the fence was no longer electrified.

"We flew here."

"We?"

"Me and my friends. We got separated when we were hit by a missile."

Flash laughed.

"Oh man! You really are trying to pass yourself off as a beyonder, aren't you?"

"Wait."

One of the other soldiers approached them. He was the tallest, and looked like the youngest. He was round faced, hooked nosed, had dark brown hair and light brown eyes. He didn't seem to be wearing anything under his vest.

"The way you flew here, was it in some kind of - flying carriage, with blades spinning on the top?"

The soldier had given a description of the helicopter. He had seen them. Tobias nodded.

"HAH! See? I told you I saw something falling in the sky, and you all thought it was in my imagination!"

"It WAS just your imagination, Bry," Flash sighed, "He's just messing with you!"

"I can prove it," Tobias claimed, "If I can show you where the helicopter crashed, then would you believe me?"

The soldiers stared at him.

"You claim to be beyond the fence?"

"That's right."

"And there are brave out there too?"

Tobias nodded.

"Take off you jacket."

Tobias did so. Flash walked around him.

"Well, you certainly have the body of a warrior." He remarked.

"Yeah!" One of the other soldiers, a burly man with a mop of brown hair laughed, "Because I bet the Andies are all skinny beneath those uniforms!"

"But look at these hands."

Flash took hold of one of Tobias' hands and held it up.

"These don't look like the hands of a fighter! They look more like those belonging to someone who spends the day writing paperwork! What happened, pencil pusher? You got tired being stuck in a cubicle all day so you decided to volunteer for the army or something?"

"Come on, Flash, you can't still think that he's a soldier!" Lyta came to his aid, "I mean look at him! He's a little young, don't you think?"

Nothing took Tobias aback as much as what Lyta just said. Young?

"So what? I hear that the Andies have sex the moment they hit puberty, why not train soldiers the moment they can hold a gun?"

"Hold on, let me give you more proof."

Tobias went for the bottom of his t-shirt, the soldiers raised their guns.

"I'm just gonna take off my shirt."

They lowered their guns. Tobias pulled off his shirt, then turned around to show them his back.

"Jeez, look at his back!" One of the soldiers, who looked so similar to the previous one in build and looks that you would have thought them brothers, yelped.

"I know, right?" Said another, whose blond hair was combed away from his forehead, "It's completely covered!"

Tobias was taken aback by the soldiers' reactions. He looked over his shoulder to see their astounded expressions. This he found odd. Tattoos were a typical Dauntless feature. Sure not everyone went as extreme as some whose entire bodies were covered in ink, but these soldiers were looking at Tobias as if he was some kind of exotic creature. Flash's expression was different.

"What the hell are those?"

He advanced on Tobias.

"What right do you have - what right does an outsider have to have those?"

Why was he outraged? He even looked offended. Tobias frowned.

"What do you mean?" He asked, "Don't all the fearless here have tattoos?"

Tobias was surprised when the whole squad apart from Flash objected to this question. Bry actually laughed.

"I mean, it'd be damaging to my career if I was covered in tattoos like you!"

"Course none of the others have tattoos," Flash explained, "Only me!"

Indeed, Tobias could see a number of tattoos down his left arm. At his shoulder was the number '5'. He wondered what the other tattoos signified? He also wondered why the others didn't have tattoos. Was it a sign of rank? Was Flash the only one who had them because he was their commanding officer?

"But that's only because I'm-"

Flash walked towards him.

"You really have no idea, do you?"

Tobias shook his head.

"Hmmm. Well, I would have thought that an Andy would have their intel correct. But I still don't believe that you're from beyond the fence."

"Not even if I showed you how I got here?"

"For all I know it could be a trap."

"Flash," Lyta spoke up again, "if there really is a flying vehicle, think of the opportunity we have. If we were to somehow reverse engineer it, then we might be able to turn the tide of this war!"

Flash seemed to consider this.

"Alright, fine! I guess it's worth a look! You," He said to Tobias, "Put your shirt and jacket back on!"

Tobias did so.

"Ed, bind his hands."

One of the soldiers who hadn't spoken came over, took out a black strap and tied it around Tobias' hands.

"Alright then, kid, lead the way!"

Kid?

"But I warn you. If this turns out to be a trap, then you're dead the moment I see an Andy. Is that clear?"

Tobias nodded.

"Right then," He prodded Tobias in the back with his rifle, "Lead on!"

Tobias walked in the direction where he thought the helicopter might be.

"I'm not the only one. My friends escaped the crash as well!"

"Other beyonders like you right? They're probably dead or captured right about now."

Tobias hoped that it was the latter.

* * *

As they walked through the field, Tobias tried to take in his captors, although every time he glanced back Flash would prod him in the back, saying "Keep moving, kid!" It felt really unsettling to be referred to as a 'kid'. True, Tobias was still a teenager, but he had long had the responsibility and respect of any grown adult, yet from the way these soldiers treated him he might as well be still an initiate! Then again, considering that he was younger than anyone in this squad, it made sense that in their eyes he was just a kid. What was it that Lyta said?

"He's too young to be a soldier, don't you think?"

Didn't seem to stop her from assuming he was a soldier earlier though. He guessed in the heat of battle there's less time to think. So, in this fearless community, did people not join the army until they were at least twenty? That seemed incredible. Back home, you were considered an adult the moment you turned sixteen and passed your initiation. He also thought of Flash's scepticism that he was from beyond the fence, confidant that his own world within the fence was the only one that existed. Then again, what did Tobias think was beyond his own world a year before? People often joked monsters, or genetic monstrosities that were the result of whatever it was that destroyed the old world. Stories of what was beyond were popular, particularly among the Dauntless, who used it as the setting of many stories meant to frighten listeners. Some of the security personal who went beyond the Amity settlements would often come back telling people what they saw or thought they saw, but no one except the younger Dauntless took them seriously. Tobias guessed that he never really believed there was anything beyond the place he knew as home, at least no other people, and if any actually came it would have been a shock. He also thought about how these fearless felt - odd. Whereas from first glance they certainly acted like Dauntless, among it a warlike tendency and of course an emphasis on bravery, it was the little things that made them - well - odd. Like how they all wear red, a colour Tobias associated more with cheerful Amity as opposed to fearless Dauntless, or how none of them apart from their leader had tattoos, a typical Dauntless trait. In Chicago there are things you grow up accepting, like how black is the Dauntless colour and that the Dauntless have tattoos, so meeting a different version of Dauntless who defied what was commonly accepted about Dauntless appeared bizarre. He also noticed that these soldiers lacked a uniform. Whereas they all had the same vests, boots and helmets, they didn't wear any standard clothing apart from the fact that it was all red, and most of it tight like Dauntless clothing back home. Half of the guys wore t-shirts (although one wore a unbuttoned shirt and another a jacket over their vests), while the remainder excluding Flash and Bry wore a short sleeved shirt. Nearly all of them wore identical red trousers, although one wearing blue jeans didn't seem out of the ordinary. There was more uniformity among the girls, who all wore tank tops and trousers (although Tobias wondered if that was only because there was left variety among female clothing from where they came from). With their informal look, they looked more like a ragtag band than a professional army. He also saw that he was not the only prisoner here. A few soldiers away was someone else wearing what he guessed was the typical Gennai attire of tight red t-shirt and trousers, except he didn't have a helmet or vest on, and his hands were bound in front of him with the same black straps around Tobias' wrists.

"Hey!"

Bry ran up next to Tobias.

"Are you really a beyonder? I mean an actual live beyonder?"

Tobias nodded.

"Oh wow! I mean, I can't believe that you actually look - well - completely human!"

Tobias' eyebrows rose.

"What am I supposed to look?"

"I dunno. Bumpy foreheaded or something. My name's Bry, by the way. What's yours?"

"Tobias."

"Tobias? Huh. Quite a long name for someone who's fearless."

Tobias thought it was best not to mention that he wasn't raised fearless.

"So what's it like? Beyond the fence, I mean?"

"Woodlands, fields."

Bry's eyes widened.

"Seriously? So it's not like a barren wasteland? No genetic mutations running amok or anything?"

"No, fraid not. To be honest it's pretty much like in here."

"Oh."

Bry looked disappointed. It was funny. He was older than Tobias, but this soldier acted like someone younger, like sixteen or something. He guessed that they mustn't grow up as quickly in Gennaiopolis as they did back in Chicago.

"But you said you come from a city?"

"Yes."

"And that's a city of fearless as well?"

"Actually, for a long time all types of different factions lived together. Factionless too."

"Factions?" Bry looked puzzled, "What are those?"

Tobias was surprised by the question.

"You know. Fearless, selfless, peaceful, honest -"

"Oh! Is that what you call them? Wow, it sounds so utopian. Different races living together in harmony."

The factions of this world were considered separate races?

"I wouldn't exactly call it harmonious. Most of the factions held lifelong rivalries, and mostly kept-"

"Hey, kid! Is that it?"

Tobias looked ahead, to see the wreckage of the helicopter. Flash Laughed.

"That thing actually flew? How?"

"I don't know exactly how it works."

"That's convenient."

This soldier's sceptical attitude was starting to annoy Tobias. As they got closer, they heard something snap. Then a bullet flew passed them. Ahead they saw black clad soldiers emerging from the crops.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Professor: Run, Sam! Run for your life!

Sammy: Prof! What's wrong?

Professor: It's Sir, Sam! He's going through the second stage!

Sammy: What, of labour?

Professor: ...No, Sam! Of grief!

Sammy: Oh. (Realising what that means) OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

(The Professor scoops Sammy up as he ran to the exit)

Commentator: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

(The Professor manages to jump out of the fortress just before it explodes. Landing on the ground below, he got up to see where the fortress once was.)

Professor: I can't believe he blew up the fortress again.

Sammy: You can't? Have you just met Boss?

Professor: No, I didn't mean - look how about we just read the review for the last chapter?

Sammy: We're still getting those? I thought Anonymius managed to piss off and drive away all of his reviewers?

Professor: One, Sam. He pissed off ONE reviewer. Anyway unless there was something in this chapter the reviewer wouldn't like I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.

Sammy: Won't Boss be mad that we responded without him?

(The Professor looked up to see the Commentator in the air generating electricity)

Commentator: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Professor: I believe he's a little preoccupied at the moment. Ahem, anyway, this review is from Eunice339. "Ahhh! What a cliffhanger! I wasn't expecting Tris in your story, but kept reading as I was enjoying your writing and the plot anyways. I'm so glad to see her-" (The Professor stops as he moves the review closer) "-revealed." Uh oh. "Please say it's Tris and not some clone or figment of Four's imagination?" Ah. Um, oh dear. Well, she definitely wasn't a clone! And technically not a figment of Tobias' imagination. Well she was, but she was imprinted on an actual person! "I hope you update soon." So how long has it been since the last chapter? A month? Well, that's sort of soon. But on behalf of Anonymius, we apologised for making you and possibly others think that Tris was going to be in this story. This was not his intent. Well it was, but not really, I mean when he wrote that scene - sigh, I knew it was a mistake to end a chapter with that.

Sammy: So how long do you think Boss will be raging like that?

(The Professor looks up again)

Commentator: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Professor: Probably until the next chapter. Which will likely be a month. Give or take.

Sammy: Oh. So how much time to we have left?

Professor: This chapter? About three hundred, but we've already responded to a review, there's nothing else to talk about.

Sammy: Oh come on, Prof! Isn't there a recent event that occurred in the real world that's worth talking about?

Professor:... Oh no. No, Sam!

Sammy: Why not! Now's the perfect time to talk about it!

Professor: Because aside from the fact that people have already complained about the length of these review responses, I don't think anyone reading this wants to hear a political debate about a certain election. Besides, if we go through with it I can't help but feel we might offend about half of our readers.

Sammy: Well 26.3% of our readers who are eligible to vote, anyway. So come on! This is a key issue! PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE?

Professor: Fi- wait, where did you get that number?

Sammy: Well given that only 55.6% of Americans voted in the election and 47.4% voted one way, and 47.4% of 55.6% is 26.3% that wouldn't include readers who are not 18 yet, that will be how many you may think we offend.

(The Professor stares at Sammy)

Professor: How did you even - you know what, never mind, let's talk about it, as my brain can't comprehend how you worked all that out.

Sammy: YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! So Prof, what are your views about the U.S election?

Professor: I think if Trump goes through with that he said he'll do (Even if it's looking like he won't, at least not as extreme), then the country and the world will suffer.

Sammy: Yeah, but Prof! What were people supposed to do, vote for Hilary Clinton? I mean she's evil! PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE EEEEEEEEEEEEEEVILLLLLLLLLLLLL! And I didn't even know she was evil until this year!

Professor: ...So if she's-

Clock: TING!

Professor: What the? We're out of time already?

Clock: FRAID SO.

Professor: -But - but I haven't had a chance to rebuff what Sam just said!

Clock: SORRY. WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

Professor: But I was only going to say -

Clock: ONE MORE WORD AND YOU WILL BE PENALISED.

Professor: ...IF SHE'S EVIL THEN WHAT DOES THAT MAKE TRUMP?

(A bolt of electricity from the Clock zaps the Professor, frying him as he falls to the ground.)

Clock: DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.

Professor:...Totally worth it.


	7. Ambushed

**I do not own 'divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Tobias' survival instincts kicked in.

"Everyone, get in the helicopter now!" He shouted, running to it.

Flash glanced in his direction as he and the other soldiers fired at the enemy.

"Everyone get in the helicopter now!" The commander shouted to the others, "I said now!" He repeated when it looked like they weren't moving, continuing to fire as he ran. As Tobias reached the helicopter, his main concern became whether the squad would make it okay rather than whether he will. He had never been able to rid himself of the impulse to think of others' wellbeing above his own. As he slid through what had been the entrance, he counted to see if the soldiers made it. One of them yelled. The other prisoner had been shot in the arm. At once Lyta tore off part of her garments.

"Don't bother!" Flash ordered, "Don't bother with that prisoner, he's not worth it! Think about your own survival!"

"We can't take him to be judged if he bleeds out to death first!" Lyta countered, tying it around the prisoner's wound.

Tobias could see excitement across the soldiers' faces.

"Alright!" Shouted the burly soldier, "Finally, an actual battle!"

"I know, right?" Agreed the other soldier who greatly resembled him, "I mean I've been a soldier for years yet I've never seen action as intense as this!"

"So why are we cowering in here?" Asked Bry, "Let's go out there and charge at them like the heroes of old!"

"NO!" Flash shouted, "Survival is the most important thing for all of you to do!"

"Oh come on!" The blond-haired soldier protested, "How are our deeds and great feats meant to be recorded if we don't have any?"

"Listen to me, my job is to protect you all, and I'll do that while I can! Besides it's not like any of you actually need great feats or deeds to be remembered!"

Why did these soldiers need to stay alive? Why wasn't it necessary for them to fight? Aside from being attractive, Tobias had no idea what made important. Were attractive people less expandable?

"Right then! Ed, Sonya, Tana, you at the front with me!"

Ed and the two other female soldiers joined Flash at the entrance, lying against the floor.

"Everyone else, get back in the helicopter as far as you can! You can fight if any of us are unable to! Tim, Warren, Fred, Bry, Lyta, in that order!"

"Aw, man!" Bry moaned.

"Don't worry Bry," Said one of the female soldiers, "You'll get your chance if all of us are taken down!"

Everyone got into position. Tobias wondered if the way they were ordered was because, although they were clearly important, some were more important than others.

"Lyta, unbind that kid's hands!"

"What?"

"Just do it!"

Though clearly reluctant, Lyta obeyed, taking out a knife and cutting through Tobia's binds.

"You, kid!"

Flash tossed Tobias a rifle, which he caught.

"Make yourself useful! Help us take down a couple of these Andies!"

Using the bent up floor as cover, the Gennai soldiers popped up to shoot. Tobias looked, seeing the advancing Andion soldiers, in their black uniforms and visors covering their eyes, shooting at them. He was about to aim before he realised something. He couldn't afford to shoot any of them. When trying to bring peace to both sides it would not look good if it turned out that he killed some of them.

"What are you doing?" Flash shouted, "Shoot! Shoot now!"

Tobias looked at him. He let go of the rifle, clanging and sliding down the floor. Flash stared at him.

"You f****ng coward!" He shouted, pushing him back. Tobias knocked into the wall.

"Gennaius. Gennaius."

The other prisoner was huddled in a corner, clutching his head and rocking back and forth.

"Gennaius. Gennaius."

"Will someone shut him up!" Flash shouted, "Kid, if you're not going to shoot then do something about him!"

Tobias shuffled over to the prisoner.

"This is Hell, we're in hell. We're going to die and go to Hell. They told us that this would be paradise, but it's not. This isn't paradise this is Hell. And we'll live through Hell over and over and over and over-"

He just kept repeating those last words. Tobias didn't understand what he meant. He wish he knew what to do. He was never good at comforting people. If he stayed with Abnegation, or joined Amity then he'd probably know how. In the end he decided to do what Dauntless taught him to do. He smacked the prisoner across the face. He stopped speaking.

"Pull yourself together!" Tobias shouted, "You think shaking and moping will do anything? We're in this situation now, so stop whining and man up!"

The prisoner stared at him. He slowly nodded. Tobias felt a twinge of guilt for what he did, as he did whenever he had to be tough like that, but at least the prisoner had calmed down. While the battle and shooting continued, the Gennai soldiers shooting in all directions and occasionally throwing a grenade, Tobias watched the opposing force through a crack. He couldn't help but admire the way they moved, forming and reforming, going in different directions or coming together, how they were able to change formation silently, without anyone giving orders. It was like they could read each other's thoughts, like they were just cells in a single organism. The shooting eventually died down. Flash gave a signal which Tobias meant for them to leave the helicopter. Tobias saw the bodies of soldiers sprawled around the area in front of them. The soldiers whooped.

"We got them all!" One of them cheered.

"Yeah. No thanks to this coward here," Flash in Tobias' direction. He had encountered this attitude among Dauntless before, as if refusing to fight meant you weren't brave. Personally, Tobias felt it depended on the situation, that sometimes it was actually braver not to fight. But then if he couldn't convince most Dauntless with that argument, then what chance did he have with these people?

"Aw, man!" Bry moaned, "I can't believe it. I mean I've been on the front line for months now. That was the most intense action I've seen and yet I didn't do anything!"

"You'll get used to it, kid," One of the other soldiers said, "People like us, Gennaiopolis can't afford to let die."

Tobias noticed something. A remaining soldier had popped up from the crops and aimed at Lyta.

"Get down!"

He knocked into Lyta, sending them both falling to the ground. He heard the bullet fly above them. He heard another gunshot and a cry. Tobias stared at Lyta's eyes. Although he was not his intention, he unintentionally took in her aroma.

"Get off me!"

Lyta pushed him off, sending him landing on the ground next to her. He got up. Bry had just fired his weapon.

"I got one!" He laughed, "Yes! I actually killed an Andy!"

Tobias was slightly disturbed over how the young soldier got excited about killing someone.

"Oh man! I can't believe it, my first actual kill! Man, if only we had a camera with us!"

Bry walked towards the direction where the soldier fell.

"Bry, what are you doing?" Flash asked.

Bry turned to look at him.

"Collecting my first kill, what else?"

Collecting? Taking pleasure in killing was one thing, and something Tobias would have expected from Dauntless. But actually taking the body like some kind of trophy? He thought about what Bry just said about taking a picture, and had a macabre image of a soldier smiling above the corpse of someone he just killed.

"No," Flash said firmly, "We are not taking the body home with us."

"Oh come on!" Bry sounded indignant, " This is my first kill!"

"Come on, Flash," one of the soldiers said, "You know how important first kills are."

"We are NOT - taking the body home with us."

"Alright, fine!" Bry pouted. He walked in the direction of the dead soldier.

"Bry, what did I just say?"

Bry looked back.

"I'm just gonna get a memento."

He continued walking.

"Bry, stop!"

"What? We got them all!"

He bent down to where the soldier fell. Moments later he stood up with a helmet.

"What d' reckon?" He asked grinning, tapping the helmet with his knuckles, "Think this will do?"

His throat exploded. His cheerful, carefree face turned into horror, his eyes widening and smile disappearing as he dropped the helmet. Tobias saw it. Another Andion soldier had stood up and had aimed his gun at Bry.

"No!"

Lyta screamed. She aimed her rifle and fired. The soldier cried as the bullet hit him in the head, causing him to fall back and disappear in the crops. Lyta ran to where Bry was. Tobias followed after her. They found him writhing on the ground, clutching his throat, drowning and suffocating on his own blood, his eyes bulging.

"Bry!"

Lyta bent down to him. Bry looked at her. He tried to say something, Tobias was even sure he was trying to smile, but only gurgled sounds came out.

"Bry, no! Please don't die!"

Bry continued to look at her. Eventually his eyes widened even more as a different sound, more like a whisper, came out, and he knew this was it. His hands fell to his chest, his horrified expression etched in his face.

"Bry?"

Lyta shook him.

"BRY?"

She shook him harder.

"No! No! Bry, no! No! No!"

She kept shaking him, as if she could wake him up, screaming his name. she collapsed on his chest, her arms wrapped around his unresponsive head, and letting out a tortured sound. His head drooped to one side. Tobias could not help but stare at those lifeless eyes staring back at him. He saw Tris laying there, her throat destroyed by the bullet from David's gun, staring at him with those eyes, almost accusingly, asking the silent question.

Why didn't you save me, Tobias?

A few weeks after it happened, Tobias had had the same nightmare, of being helpless as Tris was gunned down before his very eyes, angry that he did not save her. He would wake up screaming after such dreams. He'd much preferred the one when it turned out that Tris was alive, and back in his arms again, even though he felt the twinge of pain when he came to, realizing it was just a dream, her urn in front of him as proof that she was gone. It was like losing her all over again. He didn't have either dream as much as he used, although occasionally….

Flash came bursting through the crops.

"Is he alright?"

The others were already gathered around Lyta and Bry's body. Tobias didn't even realise that he was crouching. Flash looked at Bry. He fell to his knees.

"No."

He crawled over to Bry's body. He checked him, that he was still alive.

"No no no no no no! no! NO! F**K!"

He banged his fist on the ground.

"F**K!"

He turned around to look at Tobias.

"You."

He advanced towards him. Tobias was already standing up.

"This is all your fault! Bry is dead because of you!"

Lyta looked up.

"Flash, no! It's not his fault!"

"We never would have been here if it wasn't for you! I knew it was a mistake to trust you!"

"Flash it was my idea that we use this helicopter for war purposes! So if you want to point that gun at anyone, point it at me! Tobias is the reason the rest of us are still alive, if he didn't tell us to get into the helicopter, a lot more of us would be dead by now!"

"I was the one who told everyone to get in the helicopter!"

"He also just saved my life now!"

"But he didn't shoot! Why didn't you shoot?"

The answer came easily to Tobias.

"Because this isn't my war. Whatever is between your two sides, I want no part of it."

Flash pointed his gun at Tobias' head again.

"I came here to end the war, and I can't do that if I take a side."

Flash pulled away his gun. He roared with laughter.

"You're full of it, you know that? First you claim to be a beyonder, now you're claiming that you can end the war? Of course! A beyonder who came from beyond the fence to end the war out of the kindness of your own heart, right?"

Tobias tightened his fist. advanced towards him.

"That's right."

Flash faltered.

"No one can end the war! The war is a part of life! We're born, we grow up, we train, we fight, and we die! It's just the way of things! Anyway, how can you end a war if you don't take a side?"

"By bringing peace."

"PEACE? You really are a coward. And you're as deluded as the Eirinikons. There is no bringing peace between us and the Andies, we're complete opposites!"

"I don't pretend to fully understand the conflict between you and the Andions, but the man I came with told me that I can end the war, just like how I prevented a conflict back home. I still don't know if I can, but I won't know unless I try. I need to get to Gennaiopolis, to speak to whoever it is that is in charge."

Flash still didn't seem sure. Tobias was certain that he hadn't convinced him he was from beyond the fence, and was even more sceptical that he could end the war.

"Don't let his death mean nothing."

"You dare use his death?"

"Please. Let his death mean something."

Tobias hated using the young soldier's death to further his goal, but he felt he had no choice.

"Fine."

Eventually Flash lowered the gun.

"Fine, I'll humour you. We need to go back to take that coward back anyway. We'll take you back to Gennaiopolis, then you'll be the Enas' problem."

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

(The Commentator had his head resting on his hand)

Commentator: Okay, look, I know we went on a bit too long some previous chapters back, but if we promised not to go on for too long in the future, can we have the review response specials back at the beginning? PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE?

Professor: Sir, I wouldn't think that would be such a good idea-

Commentator: Oh come on! Anonymius only did it to keep Inopinion reading, and it's not like she ever came back, so why bother doing this?

Professor: Even so, Sir, I think it's a fair arrangement. People can continue reading the story and only come down here if they really want to. I mean we did go on for quite a bit last time.

Commentator: Alright, fine! Let's respond to the reviews. PROFESSOR! OPEN THE SHOOT!

(The Professor does so, and out pops no envelopes).

Commentator: What the? We didn't get any reviews?

Professor: Apparently so, sir.

Commentator: - So, we didn't get any response at all?

Professor: Well another reader did add this to their story alerts.

Commentator: WOOHOO!

Professor: After we lost a reader.

Commentator: D'OH! So wait, who did we lose? It was B2KU wasn't it, well can't say I'm too surprised, I'm surprised this story was still on her list-

Professor: No it wasn't her.

Commentator: -Really? Oh no, it was Eunice339, wasn't it? I knew it was a mistake to end the chapter before last on a note where it seemed Tris was back!

Professor: No it wasn't her either.

Commentator: Really? Then who was it?

Professor: I'm not entirely sure, Fanfiction dot net doesn't exactly send alerts for leaving readers.

Commentator: So we don't even know who left, or what we did to make them stop reading? Oh no, what did you two do while I was raging?

Professor: Nothing, sir! We just responded to the last review, apologised for making people think that Tris was back, then we had some time left over so Samuel suggested we discuss the recent U.S. election.

Commentator: Oh, that. Personally I'm shocked that the world was so shocked that Trump won.

Professor: Really? Out of among everyone else, you knew that Trump was going to win? How?

Commentator: Well, wasn't it obvious?

Professor: How?

Commentator: Democrats and Republicans always take it in turns to run the presidency.

Professor: Come again?

Commentator: You know, ever since 1945, every republican and democratic president have taken it in turns in roughly equal to the presidency. Democrat, Republican, Democrat, Republican, Democrat, Republican, okay, that was only four years, but that matches the one term Ford had, and okay, republicans got to stay in for another four years, but then we got back to Democract, Republican, then Democrat, so America was up for another Republican presidency.

Sammy: GASP! Boss, does that mean we're stuck with Trump for eight years, rather than four?

Commentator: Well unless his presidency proves so disastrous that he gets kicked out faster than you can say George Bush Snr.

Professor: Sam, I thought you were a Trump supporter?

Sammy: That was before he went back on everything he said he was going to do? Ahem, not that I wanted him to build a wall between and Mexico or, but it just goes to show that even a non-career breaks the promises they make to get elected.

 **This was written BEFORE it turned out Trump was going ahead with his wall!**

Commentator: Yes, there Trump broke the golden rule. You're supposed to wait until you get into office and THEN find you can't deliver what you promised. So anyway, what exactly did you say while you were discussing the election?

Professor: Nothing! Well, apart from saying that Trump going through with his elected promises will be bad for America and the world and asking if Hilary Clinton is pure evil then what -

CLOCK: TING!

Professor: -DID THAT MAKE TRUMP?

(The clock shocks the Professor).

Professor: ...Yes, that pretty much happened as well.

Commentator: Yes I can understand how that would upset any Trump supporter.

(The clock shocks the Commentator)

Commentator: DID YOU JUST SHOCK ME?

Clock: YES BECAUSE YOU PEOPLE KEEP GOING OVER THE WORD LIMIT!

Commentator: So did you.

Clock: OH. RIGHT.

(Shocks itself and exploding)

Commentator: Besides, Only I shock people.


	8. The Burial

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Everyone looked down at Bry's body, his horrified expression still etched in his face, his neck bloodied, his legs bent and in different angles, his hands resting on his chest.

"We'll have to bury him," Flash stated.

"WHAT?"

Whatever it was that he said, it got a huge reaction from the rest of his squad.

"Flash, you can't be seri!" Lyta protested.

"We're far from any transport. It'll take us a day to get back home and if we were to take Bry with us he'll start to smell by the time we reach the boundary."

"Flash, we can't just bury him in a grave in an open field!"

"Would you prefer his odor to dishonour him if we reach Gennaiopolis?"

Lyta looked tearful.

"He was – looking forward to his funeral."

"Well he's not going to know, is he since he's dead?"

She now became angry.

"You wouldn't be so quick to leave him behind if he was an Arithmocrat!"

"That's enough, Lyta!" Flash shouted. He then gave her a sympathetic look.

"It won't be perm. Once he's decommed his bones will be transed to the city."

"It won't be the same, though," Said one of the burly soldiers.

"It's the best we can do for him." Flash shrugged.

He turned to Tobias.

"You, since it's your fault he's dead, you dig the grave!"

He tossed him the rifle.

"Use the end. Ed, make sure he doesn't run away, or the other pris'ner for that matter."

"I'll do it," Lyta offered.

The other burly soldier looked at her.

"Lyta, are you sure? Don't you want to spend some time alone with Bry?"

Lyta frowned at him.

"Bry and I were friends, nothing more."

"Are you sure? So there was nothing at all when you two were-?"

"What are you, a fanboy? We were not involved, no matter how it looked!"

"Oh. I just thought that maybe you could give him a good send-off before we put him in the ground."

Lyta smiled.

"Well, like Flash said, he's dead-"

She tried to hold back a fresh flood of tears.

"-now, so he's not gonna care either way."

The blond-haired soldier turned to the remaining women in the squad.

"What about you other lovely girls? D'you wanna tend to Bry while you still have the chance?"

One of the girls shook her head.

"Nah," Said the other, a round face, dark haired girl, "He's a bit pale now for my liking."

Lyta almost pounced on her, but Flash put up his arm to stop her. He bent down to Bry's body, knocking his fist on the helmet.

"Flash, what are you doing?" Lyta asked.

He unstrapped the helmet.

"This helmet is still in good cond. It can be used again."

He then checked the vest.

"This is also intact."

He hoisted the body up, pulling the vest up.

"Flash, you can't be seri!" Lyta protested again, "You're not thinking of leaving him without any armour or weapon in his grave?"

"This is war!" Flashed shouted at the others, "We can't afford to waste res on the dead, unless you want to join them!"

Pulling the vest off, he let Bry's body slump back down on the ground. Around his neck was some kind of medallion, made of two rectangular bits of metal. He checked the gun.

"This also still has ammo."

"Are you planning to take his boots, too?" Lyta accused.

Flash looked at them. The thought definitely seemed to cross his mind, but looking at the outraged looks of his squad he appeared to decide that having Bry buried bare footed would be going too far. He pulled off the medallion. This didn't get any reaction.

"You, move it!" Lyta said to Tobias. He walked towards away from the crops.

"Here. This spot should do."

The other prisoner sitting down looked at him.

"Is he okay?"

Lyta looked at him.

"He's dead," Tobias said for him.

The prisoner nodded.

"Such a shame. So young."

Tobias started digging the grave. So he guessed that the fearless here bury their dead. Or maybe it was quicker compared to building a pyre. Tobias didn't accept the kid's death as his fault. He had enough guilt on his shoulders without adding anyone else' blood, but he wanted to dig the grave anyway. He didn't know how deep it was meant to be, as most people back home were cremated. He started to work, doing as best as he could with the rifle. He looked at Lyta, whose face was still red and wet.

"What are you looking at?" She snapped.

"Nothing."

"Well if you're looking at nothing then get back to work!"

Tobias wanted to say sorry, but he struggled with the words.

"That's deep enough."

Eventually, Tobias got it deep enough so that they could just lay the body. Soon he made it long enough so that Bry's body could fit in it.

"Right then. Let's get back to the others. You too."

Lyta pointed her gun at the other prisoner.

They walked back to the crops, to find the others circling Bry. His body had been straightened and his eyes closed, as if he was just enjoying a peaceful sleep if it wasn't for the fact that he was pale and there was a bullet wound in his neck. The soldiers had done their best to get rid of the blood, although his neck still bled. The dark-haired girl joked that the remaining blood gave him colour, which caused Lyta to try to attack her again. Tobias was stunned over how toned his body was. Sure, loads of Dauntless were ripped, but this soldier put the most obsessed body builder to shame. Where did he find the time to get his pecs so big, his abs so pronounced? He was also surprised how hairless it was; not a single strand was on the body. It reminded him of the unnaturally beautiful people whose images he remembered seeing when they ventured outside the city.

"Some funeral this is," The blond-haired soldier moaned, "We don't even have any drinks."

Tobias felt a bit of a twinge. It was if he thought of a funeral like a party. Then again wasn't that how most Dauntless treated funerals? Just an excuse to get drunk? How many attended were actually there to grieve?

"Here," The remaining female soldier came back with a bottle, "There's some scotch left."

Soon everyone spoke their eulogy. Tobias tried not to listen. It was reminding him too much of Tris' funeral, although he caught a few things, like how funny and optimistic he was, full of life and passion, how he was the life of the party, what a dear friend he was and how everyone would miss him.

"Bry died in battle," Flash concluded, "just like he always wanted to, and although he will not be buried at home just yet his sacrifice will always be remembered."

Once Flash had finished his part, everyone put their hands underneath Bry's body and hoisted him up, laying him on their shoulders. Tobias followed them as they carried the body to the grave and laid it in. Everyone was poured a shot of the drink. They held their drinks up over Bry.

"To Bry."

They downed it.

"Good luck, Bry," Flash said, "May you triumph in Valhalla always."

Then everyone used their rifles to scoop the dug up dirt and pour it in the grave. Tobias understood. As a prisoner, he was obliged to dig the grave, but it was the squad's responsibility to bury their friend and comrade. Soon he was completely covered, until only a part of his pale face was exposed, and then that disappeared underneath the dirt, and he was gone.

"So young," The other prisoner muttered.

"What d'you just say?" Flash snapped.

"He died so young. He was so good looking, so full of life, he had his whole life ahead of him and now he's worm food, because of this war, how many more like him will die –?"

"Shut your yap!"

It was Lyta who now spoke, smacking the prisoner in the face with the end of her rifle.

"He died a hero and I will not let you dishonour his memory!"

The prisoner looked up at her, his face bloodied, his nose perhaps broken.

Tobias didn't think that Bry died a hero, although he wasn't going to voice his opinion. Sure his death was tragic, and the other prisoner was right, he was too young, although Tobias had known people who had died younger. Maybe saying he died a hero's death made it mean something. But Bry hadn't died like Tris, who did die a hero's death, willing to sacrifice herself to save everyone. Everyone looked at the mound where Bry's body laid underneath, as if it was missing something. One of the soldiers went to the helicopter wreckage, searching for something. He came back with a long metal strip, and dug it in at the far end of the mound.

"Just something to mark it."

Flash then hung the medallion on it. He took out a knife, and carved something on the strip. Soon others also started carving things on the makeshift gravestone. Tobias wasn't near enough to see what it was, apart from the large letters 'M.T.V.' by Flash.

"Right, we'd better set off," Said Flash, "There's nothing left for us to do here."

And soon they set off. Tobias' eyes were fixed on the gravestone until it vanished from sight.

* * *

When night fell, the soldiers decided to take it in turns to keep an eye on Tobias and the other prisoner. The first shift was taken by Lyta. Tobias couldn't help but stare at her, and feel sympathy for how sad she looked. He eventually decided what to say.

"I'm sorry about your friend," He told her.

She looked at him.

"It's not your fault he's dead."

"I know, but still, I'm sorry about what happened to him."

Lyta looked confused.

"Why are you apologising if you don't feel guilty?"

Tobias was taken aback by the question.

"You know. It's just something you say, to express sympathy."

Lyta raised her eyebrow.

"That's an odd thing to say."

Tobias was confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, to show sym by blaming yourself for what happened. Actually, showing sym at all is weird for a fearless to do."

Showing sympathy was weird for brave to do here? Not that the Dauntless were exactly the most compassionate of the factions but at least they knew to express sorrow for the deceased's loved ones.

"It's just that I could tell that you two were really close."

Lyta nodded.

"Well, I hadn't known him for that long. I mean we worked together, but yes we became good friends. But we were never involved despite what some people think."

Tobias noticed that Lyta was fumbling with something in her hand. It looked like one of the medallions around Bry's neck.

"What exactly is that?"

"This?"

Lyta held it up.

"You don't know what this is? Don't you have dog tags where you come from?"

Tobias was confused by the term.

"Um, a dog tag on a human?"

"You know, all soldiers wear them to I.D. them whether they're really injured or dead. One for the body and one to give to their family. Oh Gennaius! What am I supposed to tell his wife?"

"Wife? He was married?"

Bry didn't seem mature enough for marriage.

"Of course he was married!" Lyta told him like it was obvious, "You're not allowed to fight unless you and your partner have at least two kids! You know, for sits like this."

Bry had children too? If Bry was only twenty then they must be only two and one. Tobias couldn't help but imagine it, one happy child running to the door only to be told that their Daddy was dead, that he wasn't coming back. The other one would be too young to remember, yet would grow up not knowing his Dad. Lyta laughed.

"You know, he was so eager to fight, like all of us young, like all of the new soldiers. That's what they teach you growing up, that war is something glorious, like it's all just some big night out, going out there, having a good time shooting Andies, avoiding being shot and when you do kick the bucket you just lie on the grass sprawled with a smile on your face happy that you had such a good time as your peacefully go to sleep."

She looked straight at him with a red, wet face.

"Did it look like he was enjoying himself as he choked on his own blood?"

Tobias didn't have to answer that question.

"Do you think his death could have been voided?" Lyta asked.

Tobias shrugged.

"It's not for me to say."

This wasn't true. He guessed the reason, but again now wasn't the best time to mention it, but bright red was probably not the best colour to wear during war, as he was sure that just made him an easier target. Then again lessening the risk of death was ever hardly a Dauntless concern.

 **TO BE CONTINUED….**

* * *

Commentator: GLUG GLUG GLUG GLUG!

Professor: Sir? Is that the same bottle of scotch that squad of soldiers used to give tribute to their fallen comrade?

Commentator: Well they were done using it, and I thought my need was greater than theirs anyway!

Professor: ….Even so, Sir, I think it's dangerous to interfere with events –

Commentator: OH SCREW YOU, PROF! I'm sorry, Prof. I'm just a little depressed, that's all. I mean I used to be at the beginning of chapters. I used to be the one who introduced them, now I've been shoved down at the end, like I'm some sort of Appendix! I should discard my name 'The Commentator' and rename myself the Appendixer!

Sammy: Oh cheer up, Boss! Maybe responding to some reviews will cheer you up?

Professor: ….Yes. Unfortunately we didn't get any.

Commentator: What? Again? Damnit! At this rate Anon will probably drop this segment entirely if there are no reviews by the next couple of chapters! What happened, Prof? I mean at one point it seemed we were getting plenty of reviews with potential for more, now it seems we've gone back to having no reviews at all! What the Hell happened?

Professor: You'll probably won't like the answer.

Commentator: Tell me!

Professor: I think it was us.

Commentator: - Come again?

Professor: If we weren't responding to reviews then Inopinion might have stuck around, B2KU wouldn't have criticized how long one of our responses was, you threatening to get angry with her, Anonymius having to warn her about you which caused her to become angry with Anonymius thereby effectively losing her and any other potential reviewers we might have had. So even if Inopinion didn't stick around we would have still had at least one reviewer.

Commentator: But we've done this for years, for both the parodies and the serious stuff, and it's never been an issue before! At least not as big an issue as it has been with this.

Professor: I guess the Divergent Fandom are less tolerant of a group of comedic characters unrelated to the story compared to Harry Potter and Frozen.

Commentator: But did the last chapter at least get a satisfactory numbers of hits?

Professor: Well if by satisfactory you mean about forty in the last week then-

Commentator: That's it? Double damnit! The chapter before that got about a hundred hits! By this rate Anon will probably give up on this and go on to do his Cursed Child related stuff or those mashups of popular series! I mean did we get any reception at all, or a change in the stats?

Professor: Well we did get another reviewer in the story alerts.

Commentator: We did? Woohoo!

Professor: As well as someone adding this to their favourite story list.

Commentator: WOOHOO!

Professor: As well as losing another reviewer in the story alerts list.

Commentator: D'oh! Who did we lose this time?

Professor: B2KU, Sir.

Commentator: -She's gone? WOOHOOOOOO!

Professor: Why the woohoo, Sir?

Commentator: Because now I can say whatever the Hell I like without risking someone telling others to avoid this story! Or Anonymius getting an angry response.

Professor: I don't think that will be sending the right message to people, Sir. Even so, it's a shame she's gone. I mean she was our first-

Clock: TING!

Commentator: And that's all the time we got for this chapter! Tune in next time! Whenever the chapter may arrive.


	9. Two Different Worlds

**Okay, before I begin this chapter, I'd like to speak to everyone seriously for a moment. After last chapter, a reviewer removed herself from the story alert list because of something I wrote. I apologise to anyone I might have offended as it is never my attention to do this to someone I have no disagreement with. I would also just like to stress the Commentator is NOT me. He is not meant to be a representation of me. He's just his own douchey character saying his own douchey things, and I did not intend people to take what he says seriously, anymore than say when a character from 'Team Four Star Dragonball Z Abridged' might say something that's rude to the viewers. Of course in those situations another character would reprimand them for what they said or one of the makers would speak seriously to them (Which is what I thought I did when I had the Professor telling the Commentator that what he said would send the wrong message to people). Regardless, from now on I'll restrain myself from writing anything that might offend a reader, past or present, regardless of my personal feelings.**

 **Now with that out of the way, enjoy the chapter.**

 **Oh and I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related!**

* * *

"You know," Said Lyta, "I couldn't help but over hear your fairy tale to Bry. About different races living tog in harm."

Tobias wondered if she meant 'together in harmony'.

"As I was trying to tell your friend, it wasn't exactly harmonious. Different factions held life long rivalries with each other. Abnegation with Erudite, Amity with Candor-"

"I have no idea what any of that means."

"Sorry. I don't know what you call them here, but Abnegation are selfless, Erudite intelligent, Amity peaceful, Candor honest-"

"Intelligent?"

"You know. Smart."

"Oh! So your selfless and smart are foes? Huh. That's hard to magine."

Tobias was taken aback by this.

"Why? Are they not here?

"Let's just say they've been life long allies."

Tobias couldn't imagine it. He couldn't imagine a world where Abnegation and Erudite were friends.

"So who are your brave rivals with?"

Tobias thought about it. The answer surprised him.

"To be honest, I don't think we were rivals with anyone! I mean we didn't like everyone else and they didn't like us, but it was nothing like what the other factions had! Which is funny when I think about it considering that we were the most warlike!"

"Yeah, that is hard to magine!" Lyta laughed. She bent closer.

"Are you really from beyond the fence?"

Tobias nodded.

"It's just - a little hard to swallow, you know? That there are people beyond the fence."

"I know what you mean. For a long time, I thought my city was the only place that existed. With people, that is."

"What's it like? Living with different races?"

"Well we don't think of ourselves as separate races. We call ourselves 'factions', so even though you may be born in one faction when you come of age you can choose a different faction if you like."

"Seri?"

Tobias took that to mean 'seriously'. He nodded.

"Seri."

"Oh. It just sounds like something from a movie I saw. But how does it work?"

"How does what work?"

"I mean, how can you belong to one race if you're born to another?"

It was if she thought a person who was born in Abnegation but registered as Erudite was like a person of dark skin being born to parents of light. Tobias had never given it much thought. Like others he just accepted that children were not always like their parents. Then again, he thought about what David told them, how their ancestors were genetically engineered to be either selfless, peaceful, honest, brave or intelligent. If that was true, if their genes determined what trait they were, then how could someone like a Candor be born to generations of Amity? Maybe it was a mutation, or the person had Candor ancestors somewhere in their family tree. Or maybe the whole determined by your genes thing was just rubbish and you could choose what you wanted to be.

"It just happened," Tobias told Lyta, who didn't look convinced, "Of course there were also those born divergent. That is, they fitted in more than one faction."

"Ah, mixed race. Well that makes sense."

"And there were those who didn't register as their faction choice at all."

"Oh. So you just accepted those who chose your faction?"

"Well no, they had to go through initiation first."

"In-ni-she-a-shon?"

Her confused reaction to something so familiar to Tobias, that he assumed all factions should be familiar with, surprised him even more.

"You know. When you accept someone as a member of your faction. Even if they're born in it."

"Oh right! We call it Graduation. Well I can't magine those who didn't reg as the faction they chose lasted very long."

Tobias felt a little stung when she said this.

"Actually, some who did choose a different faction fitted in quite well."

Lyta shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Tobias, but that's impossible."

"Trust me, it happened."

"No, it couldn't have. That's like saying an animal born a squirrel could choose to be a bird, or a donkey a bear, or a fish a lizard. But a squirrel can't be bird, anymore than a donkey can be a bear, or a fish a lizard, or-"

"You – you really do all think of yourself as separate races, don't you?"

It seemed to go further than that. It was like the factions thought of themselves as separate species.

"And you don't?"

"No, of course not! Sure we may be in different factions but we all consider ourselves to be the same race! But maybe that's because rather than living in different cities we all live together! Even though actually we generally kept to ourselves, although each faction performed a different job."

"Really? What kind of jobs?"

"Well, Abnegation were our leaders, Amity carers, as well as farmers, Candor lawyers, Erudite teachers and researchers, while we Dauntless provided security."

"So your Selfless were your leaders? And your Dauntless were okay with that?"

"Well, not exactly. I mean most people didn't like Abnegation, but accepted the arrangement. Well, apart from Erudite. Besides, each faction had their own leaders anyway, but Abnegation was in the charge of the whole city as well, although other factions did have a say."

"And your peaceful were your farmers? I'm surprised you all had any food at all if they were doing the farming!"

Tobias was taken aback by this.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I can't magine a bunch of weak willed, flabby Eirin doing something as toiling as farming!"

Toiling? Tobias had never thought of farming like that. One of the things that made Amity life so attractive was how it seemed so happy and peaceful, and he said so to Lyta, which caused her to frown.

"Tobias, have you ever actually worked on a farm?"

"Well, not exactly -"

"Then you should know it's not exactly fun."

"Well, maybe the aim is less about having a happy life, but a peaceful one."

"I would have thought a life where you didn't have to do any thing aside from sleep all day only to get up just to sit down, eat, drink and watch telly would seem more peaceful. Ahem, not that I would actually want a life like that!" Lyta added quickly.

Tobias wondered if she actually believed that, or whether that was just training from her faction.

"And then there were the Factionless, the people who didn't fit in any of the factions, who did jobs no one else likes, like janitors, construction workers-"

"Oh, we have a name for people like that as well!" Lyta told him.

"You do?"

"Oh yeah! we call them exiles, those who and descend from those who fail graduation. Of course, those who fail Gennai graduation – we just call them cowards."

Lyta glanced in the other prisoner's direction.

"What exactly did he do?"

"He's a deserter. As punishment for his cowardice he will be taken back to the city."

"And what will happen to him?"

"Like all deserters, like all cowards, he'll be stripped of his name, his clothing, he'll be branded a coward for the rest of his life, forced to wear the colour of his status and be made to do the work only fit for a coward."

Nothing that Lyta had said had shocked him more than what she said just now.

"I thought those who fail initiation are made to leave the city?"

"Well, that's what used to happen, but the cowards were too afraid to leave the city so they were put to work instead."

"Maybe he deserted because he couldn't stand the fighting anymore?"

Lyta gave him a look.

"I wouldn't let the others hear you say that. You know, you're a very odd guy, Tobias."

"How's that?"

"Well, you claim to be brave, yet you say and do things that brave wouldn't do, like refuse to fight and defend a deserter. And yet... I saw the way you constantly stood up to Flash, and I know how you risked your life to save me. No, I do think you're brave. You're just a very odd sort of brave."

No, Tobias was not even a typical Dauntless. That was probably because he registered as Abnegation rather than Dauntless. Then he had to remind himself that he WAS Dauntless, that the life he had just described to Lyta no longer exists, hasn't existed for a year now. Maybe it was living among Dauntless-like people, a place where the faction system still existed, even though it was different, that he felt like he was back where he used to be, as a Dauntless who worked in the security rooms.

What was wrong with him? This girl had tried to kill him! She had captured him! And yet...He felt as though he could trust her. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she kept standing up for him against her commanding officer, or how she had already confided in him some personal thoughts, thoughts he had a feeling she wouldn't have shared with her squad. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he was a stranger and it was easier to say things to him than to others if they were things that went against the way of thinking her faction had taught.

"Can I ask you something?" Tobias asked.

"Depends on what it is."

"Why were you so convinced that I was one of the enemy?"

Lyta seemed surprised by the question.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Tobias shook his head.

"Well...you're wearing black."

Tobias was shocked by this answer.

"So?"

"So, that's the Andy colour!"

Tobias tried to wrap this around his head. They thought he was a different faction, because he was wearing-

He couldn't help but break down into laughter.

"What's so funny?"

Tobias could not control himself, as he fell backwards on the ground in uncontrolled fits.

"WHAT IS SO FUNNY?" Lyta demanded to know.

"Sorry, I'm sorry," Tobias managed to control himself, standing up, "It's just – where I'm from – black is the colour brave wear."

"You're kidding? The brave where you're from wear black? Seri? Black? It's just – well – it's not exactly a brave colour, is it?"

Tobias couldn't help but smile.

"I wasn't aware that colours had emotions."

"What I mean is, it doesn't reflect courage. Colours that rep courage should be bright, bold colours, colours that make you think of fire. You know, like red, or orange."

"Or yellow?"

Tobias could see from the expression Lyta was giving him that he just said the wrong thing.

"No," She whispered, shaking her head. "Not yellow. Never yellow."

"Why not?" Tobias asked. He noticed that Lyta glanced in the other prisoner's direction again.

"Oh. That's the colour he'll be made to wear?"

"Yes."

Lyta bent closer to him.

"You know, since you're not from here, I'll feel safe to tell you things that I wouldn't dare tell anyone else. Sometimes I wonder whether I'm on the right side. I mean they teach you that there's no greater glory than to fight in the war, that the Andies don't fight for glory and that they're not their own persons, but I've seen the way they fight, how they defend each other, even willing to give up their life for their squads. Not just other soldiers, but civs too."

Tobias guessed she meant 'civilians'.

"They won't shoot or allow a civ to be in danger, even at the cost of their own lives. I don't think I've ever known or seen an Andion shoot a civ even by accident. They make sure that they're not in danger. I've even seen an Andion sacrifice their own life to save a civ. And of course we Gennai know this and have used this to help us win battles. It just makes me wonder sometimes whether I'm on the right side."

Tobias rolled on his side to get some sleep, as he thought about what Lyta had just told him. He now understood who the Andions were, and why Yamaru thought he could bring peace to both sides.

They were the equivalent of Abnegation.

* * *

Commentator: Oh wow! What a twist! So the war is between Dauntless and Abnegation!

Professor: You certainly seem to be in a better mood than you've been before, Sir.

Commentator: Yes. I've come to terms with my situation. At the top, bottom, it doesn't matter where the review special is put. So Professor! Open the shoot!

(The Professor does so, and out pops three envelopes)

Commentator: Yes! Reviews! My whining always pays off! Let's see, our first review is from – hey! It's from Eunice339! Hopefully she's forgiven Anonymius for ending that one chapter by making it look like Tris was back from the dead and not a hallucination! Well let's see what she has to say:

I have never left a negative review before for a writer and I was willing to ignore your tongue in cheek commentator/professor commentary in favor of supporting your writing, but to flat out be rude to your readers is uncalled for and now you've lost another reader.

(The Commentator's jaw had dropped)

Professor: I did tell you Sir that what you said last chapter would send the wrong message to people.

Commentator: -What? Kkkkkkk (clutches his throat) Ahem. Sorry. Had something in my throat. Anyway, I wasn't being rude! I was merely expressing kkkkkk (clutches and examines his throat) What the hell? What's wrong with my voice?

PRofessor: - Sir? Didn't you see Anonymius' message at the beginning?

Commentator: I've been shoved down at the bottom of the chapter OF COURSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE TOP!

Sammy: But Boss! I thought you now came to terms with your situation?

Commentator: I TAKE IT BACK!

(Kicks Sammy in the air)

Sammy: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Commentator: I am the Commentator, damnit! I am the master of parody, responder of reviews. I am the scourge of the space between spaces, I have terrorized dozens of characters in hundreds of series! Or is that the other way round? The point is I deserved to be at the beginning of every chapter and I demand you tell me why, WHY am I having difficulty expressing myself?

Professor: Well, in light of losing yet another reader because of what you said, Anonymius has decided to ban you from saying anything that might offend a reader.

(The Commentator's jaw has dropped)

Professor: Past or present.

Commentator: WHAT? Prof, are you serious? I mean it's not like I've ever actually insulted a reader! Unless they were a troll who only ever commented just to say negative things. At worst I just put them on my enemy list or get very angry at the mentioning of their name if they convince Anonymius to cut down on my screen time but then completely forgive them if they give a stunning review! But you actually expect me to be kkkk, oh that's it! That's the last straw, this is the very last straw! I QUIT!

Professor: YOU WHAT?

Commentator: Ya heard me, Prof! I – am – adone.

Sammy: Boss! You're actually giving up being the Commentator?

Clock: TING!

(The Commentator shocks the clock, causing it to fall over)

Commentator: No, I'm just done with this story. I'm outta here.

(Storms out, slamming the door)

Professor: O-kay. Ahem, see you all next chapter.


	10. Sharma

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

The next morning was spent walking through the fields. The soldiers had been complaining that they had mysteriously ran out of scotch, claiming that there should have been enough left. Eventually they came across a road.

"See?" Flash grinned, "What I tell you? I told you we would event find something."

Realization came to Tobias.

"Wait a minute! You mean to tell me you didn't even know where you were going?"

"Hey, we knew the gen direct!"

What was it with these Gennai and shortening almost every word to at least two syllables?

"But didn't you guys at least have a map?"

"A map?" Fred, one of the burly soldiers, said with disbelief, "Where's the fun in knowing where you're going? Come on, Tobias, don't you and your brave have a sense of venture?"

As they walked down the road, Tobias took it in. It looked ancient, broken and cobbled.

"Miring the road?" Lyta asked, smiling as she looked back at Tobias, "They say it was built by the white race."

"The who?"

"The White race. You know, our ancestors? Well, ancestors to most. The vilent, blood thirsty race who came from beyond the sea, who wiped out the peaceful red race? Who built the roads and the cities and towns that we now call home?"

"What's the sea?"

Everyone stopped, and looked at him.

"You don't know what the sea is?" Warren, Fred's look-a-like, asked incredulously, "What did you grow up derneath a rock or something?"

"I've only lived in a city all my life."

"Yeah well so have we, plus we've only ever seen, fields, woodlands, rivers, a lake, and other towns, and even we know what the sea is!" Said Tim, the blond haired soldier.

"So what is it?"

"It's kinda like a lake," Said Sonya, the dark haired girl who had angered Lyta around Bry's death, "Only bigger. Much bigger. Like a hundred times bigger than the entire land within the fence."

Tobias wasn't sure if she was joking.

"The sea is what separates this land," Explained Lyta, "From the land where the white race came from, the land of the ancient and med Heroes of Old."

"And who are they? These heroes of old?"

"Oh I've had enough of this!"

Flash rounded on him.

"You claim to be brave yet you don't even know about the Heroes of Old? Who do you look up to? Whose tales are you tained by? Who helps shape the way you look and act, who are your Brave named after?"

Tobias took a deep breath before speaking.

"History from where I'm from is patchy and fragmented at-"

"Oh speak Gennai, will you?" Flash snapped.

Tobias had had enough.

"How am I supposed to speak a language I've never spoken before? I'm only speaking as naturally as I have always done!"

"Well some of the things you say sound all Exyp to me! In fact, I think that's what you are! I still don't buy that you're a beyonder, I think you're an Exyp, or someone who failed Exyp Graduation-"

"I'm surprised you can manage to say such a long word considering you have trouble processing anything longer than two syllables," Tobias said before he could stop himself, "Sorry, was I speaking too 'Exyp' again for you to understand?"

"Why you-!" Flash took out his gun again.

"Guys, guys, calm down!" Lyta shouted, standing between them, "Look Flash, we're almost home. You won't have to stand him much longer."

Flash still looked angry, before lowering his gun.

"Fine. The sooner the better."

They continued walking.

Stupid! Tobias thought to himself. That was stupid! He was on a mission of peace and he just insulted one side.

"Do you think they actually existed?" Fred asked Warren, "The White Race, I mean?"

"Probably," Warren answered, "I mean someone had to have built all this stuff. Though if they were white I don't know. Would be hard to see each other when it snowed."

Some of the soldiers laughed.

Minutes later, they were walking passed fields that were being tended to. From the colours they were dressed in Tobias could see that they were in Gennai territory. Men and women, wearing jeans with t-shirts, tanktops or in some of the men's case nothing top-wise, were busy cutting down crops with archaic looking tools, staves with a large curved blades. He could see why Lyta thought of farming as 'toiling', if this was how they did it. Whereas Amity farming certainly involved manual labour, there was also a dependence on machinery. He saw this was definitely a Dauntless form of farming. It made him wonder how the other factions would have done it if they didn't have Amity. He imagined Erudite would probably leave it all to machines. Soon they came to a place that was bordered by Gennai soldiers. Up ahead he saw a collection of white buildings.

"Is that Gennaiopolis?" Tobias asked. He had imagined it being bigger.

"No," Lyta laughed, "That's just the town of Sharma. It's been under Gennai rule for decades."

As they walked along the border, Tobias noticed that the soldiers were looking at them. When they reached a road to their left, this one maintained in good condition, another squad came to greet them. Tobias noticed that these soldiers were significantly more covered than his band, wearing long shirts or sweaters or jackets over shirts and t-shirts. This made them in stark contrast to their leader, young with light brown skin and very short hair, who like Bry appear to wear nothing over his top half aside from the bullet proof vest. Like Flash he had tattoos, although not as many. Tobias noticed that on his arm was tattooed the number '2'. Flash walked up to him.

"Shaft" he greeted,

"Flash," Shaft greeted back, "I was begin to think that you were all dead or something."

"We got a little sidetracked," Flash explained.

His squad were looked over by his fellow commander.

"Your men and women are a little under-dressed, aren't they?"

"What do you mean?" Flash asked.

"Haven't you heard? A new law's been passed. All Raths are now banned from displaying any exposed skin other than hands and faces, unless they're doing something like farming or mining. Just as the dress code is now mandat for all Crats. In fact -" He eyed Flash, "You're actually overdressed now! front wise, anyway. What' the matter?" He grinned, "Scared of showing your skinny little body? Well it's worse for me. I'm not allowed to wear anything over the top half of my body now unless it's a vest! Well you'll have to tell Bry that he can't walk around topless anymore!" He scanned Flash's squad, before becoming a little concerned, "Where is Bry, anyway?"

"He's dead." Flash answered.

"WHAT?" Shaft looked shocked. The rest of his squad also looked distressed.

"No!" One of the younger, female soldiers shouted, "No, he can't be!"

"What happened?" Shaft asked angrily, "You were supposed to keep all of them safe!"

"We were ambushed. An Andy came out of nowhere and shot him in the neck. He died with a smile, though."

That wasn't exactly what happened, although Tobias knew better than to disagree. He glanced in Lyta's direction and saw that she looked angry. Flash now gestured over to Tobias.

"Ask him why he died."

Shaft looked at him.

"Who's this?"

"Some guy we found at the frontline. Oh get this! He's a beyonder," Flash grinned.

"Oh, another one?"

Flash looked as if he had been slapped in the face.

"What?"

"Oh yeah. Turns out that we captured a few beyonders and they were brought to the city."

Tobias got excited.

"Really? Other beyonders? Who were they? How many-"

"Shut up!" Flash shouted, raising his rifle.

"Flash, what the Hell is wrong with you? This guy isn't our en'my, so why do you have him handcuffed as a pris'ner?"

"I had no telling what he was up to, so I-?"

"Teq, cut his binds!" He ordered one of his squad. He walked up and took out a knife.

"Shaft, no!" Flash protested, "This is my pris'ner, and-"

"Are you questioning my judgement, Pente?"

Shaft put emphasis on the last word. Flash looked defiant, before submitting.

"Certainly not, Dio."

Tobias was confused. The other commander looked significantly younger than Flash, and yet he seemed to have some authority over him. His soldier walked over and cut Tobias' binds.

"Shaft, you can't actually believe that he's a beyonder, can you?"

"I don't know what to believe, but I hear that one of the beyonders claim that the fence is no longer elect."

"Yeah right! And I bet he also said that Gennaius came back to bring paradise, right?"

"Flash," said in a very serious tone, "The fence is no longer elect."

Flash's jaw dropped.

"WHAT?"

His whole squad looked shocked.

"You've been out of touch for a while. It's been all the news, one of these people who claimed to be a beyonder also claimed that the fence was no longer elect, so to prove it he walked towards it and placed his hand on it."

"And?"

"Nothing happened."

Flash shook his head.

"No, that's impossible. The fence is always elect, ev'one knows that-"

"Flash, all the Crats in the city saw it themselves! Then some of them placed their hand too on the fence and nothing happened."

Flash back away. He looked as if he had been told the world had stopped turning.

"Anyway, as far as the Crats are concerned, these beyonders are real, and we're to look out for any others. Besides, you didn't answer my question. Where's Bry?"

"I told you, he's dead."

"I mean why don't you have his body?"

"Well, we had to bury him, didn't we-?"

"You did what?" The youngest female soldier of Shaft's squad shrieked. Her fellow female soldiers also looked upset and outraged.

"You bastard!" She shouted at Flash, "How could you?"

"How dare you talk to a Crat like that!"

Flash was enraged, fumbling for his rifle. Shaft raised his hand in front of her.

"She's upset. I'm sure she didn't mean it, did you Linda?"

Shaft gave her a look. The girl Linda looked back at Flash. She was clearly still angry, but something in her knew better, and she breathed in.

"No, of course not."

Bowing her head to Flash, she beat the left side of her chest with her right fist.

"Forgive me, my Braver."

Flash stared at her, before putting his gun down.

"You are forgiven. This time."

"Although her anger is standable," Shaft told him.

"We were far from any transport!" Flash defended, "He'd start to decomp by now if we brought him with us!"

Linda had burst into tears, with the others comforting her. Shaft scanned their items.

"And yet you saw it fit to take away his armour and weapon?"

"This is war, and we need to use as much res-"

Shaft punched him in the face, sending him down to the ground on his knees and feet.

"You disgust me. Not only do you leave one of your men behind, all alone buried in a field to be eaten by worms and bugs but you stripped his body bare?"

Shaft spat in his face. Flash looked up, clutching his nose. Shaft turned his attention to Tobias.

"I'm sorry for what this one has put you through."

He held out his hand. Tobias went to grab it.

"Er, what are you doing?" He asked, his hand feeling uncomfortable within Tobia's grasp.

"Sorry," He quickly withdrew it, "I thought you were giving your hand to shake. It's how we greet each other back home."

"Oh. Oh! Is that how you shake hands?"

Shaft laughed.

"This-"

He grabbed the lower part of Tobias' arm.

"Is how we shake here!"

He gripped it. Tobias felt uneasy.

"Go on," Shaft urged.

Tobias took that to mean to do the same. He reached out his hand to grip the lower part of Shaft's arm, and tried to dig his fingers in. He felt really uncomfortable. Learning how to shake hands in the first place was bad enough, but to learn a more intimate form? He felt like an initiate all over again. After they shook, Shaft let go, and Tobias quickly did the same.

"Well come with us. The gov will want to see you."

Flash stood up.

"We'll need to come too. I need to be debriefed."

They all walked together. Rather than go with them down the road they came from, they continued walking down the ruin road. Tobias looked between Flash and Shaft.

"Does he outrank him somehow?" He whispered to Lyta.

"Not army wise, no. But Flash is a Pente, while Shaft's a Dio, so although they have the same army rank Shaft is higher in stat even though they're both Arithmocrats."

"You've used that term before. What exactly is an Arithmocrat?"

Lyta looked at him as if he had asked what the sky was.

"Oh! I guess you wouldn't know. An Arithmocrat is a member of the ten bravest families of Gennaiopolis. But they all have different ranks. The Pentes are the fifth bravest while the Dios are the second."

"So who's the first?"

"That would be the Enas, the Bravest of the Brave. They rule the city, and command the army."

It seemed like an odd system, to have the brave being ruled by a family, officially designated as containing the bravest of the brave. How do these people tolerate such a system where certain families were considered naturally braver compared to others?

"And what's a Rath?"

"A Rath, or an Ochirath, is someone who isn't an Arithmocrat. Basically everyone here apart from Flash and Shaft."

"And why would the Enas pass a law forbidding non-Arithmocrats from dressing in a way that shows arms, legs, or even torso?"

"I doubt it was just them. The Crats have a say in decs. I think it was something they all agreed on. Crats have always liked to disting themselves, make themselves look different from the rest of us, by banning us from looking like a way they feel only they should look."

Tobias realized something.

"Like having tattoos."

Lyta nodded.

"There used to be a time when any could have tats. Not every, but many did, and those included Crats who then decided that only they should have tats, and banned everyone else from having them. Persn'ly I've never been a big fan of tattoos, though."

"So that's why Flash got upset when he saw my back. He must have been angry that I had something that he felt only someone like him had privilege too."

"So yeah I think the reason why Crats like to wear as few clothes as possible is to show off their tats."

Tobias looked at Linda.

"Was she a personal friend of Bry's?"

"Unlikely," Lyta replied sourly, "She's probably just a fangirl."

As they walked down, Tobias noticed the white houses to their left. They looked kind of nice for Dauntless housing. It reminded him of Abnegation homes. Then he remembered that Lyta said it was only occupied by Gennai, meaning that other people lived here. Who were they? He remembered Yamaru telling him that the other settlements were settled by those who were essentially factionless. Was that who lived here? Even though Lyta told him that those who failed Gennai Initiation or Graduation as they called it didn't leave the city, because they were too afraid. Tobias wondered if that was true or just an excuse to keep them in the city, doing work that the Gennai probably felt were beneath them? After passing a power generator, they came to what had been a bridge that had collapsed with time. The Gennai soldiers jumped on the rubble and slid down it like it was a game. Tobias remembered that since this was a typical Dauntless thing to do, that he should join in. He lost his footing on the first block that he jumped on. Tobias tumbled down. He felt himself bash into several blocks before he reached the ground.

"Are you alright?"

Tobias looked up. Shaft offered his hand.

"I'm fine."

Tobias got up. He checked himself. He had a few cuts and a gash on his head, but nothing serious. He was out of practice. Flash was laughing.

As they climbed up the other end of the bridge, Tobias was reminded of the things Dauntless always used to do, like jump on and out of running trains, or climbing tall structures. Back then it seemed like the normal thing to do. Now, from hindsight, it all seemed kinda immature, just to prove you're brave, especially after going through something that required actual bravery.

As the road became more repaired, Tobias knew that they were entering lived in territory.

"Oh hey, Tobias," Said Shaft, "Sorry, but we've got orders to ceal our whereabouts from outsiders."

He brought up a black bag. Tobias nodded, showing he understood. They put the bag over his head. He felt a soldier on each arm to guide him. He could hear activity, vehicles driving, the patter of feet. He heard a door open, and being led up a flight of stairs, before another door opening. The bag was taken off of Tobias' head. He found himself in a bare room, with nothing apart from a table and a couple of chairs.

"Wait here," Shaft told him, "The Gov will be with you shortly."

He closed the door. Tobias sat down. He looked out the window, which was the entire wall.

Then an explosion went off.


	11. The Road To Gennaiopolis

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Getting up, Tobias saw fire around him, and it was expanding. Why was everything prone to exploding recently? He looked around. There was no way to get to the door, with the fire blocking it. The only way out was through the window. There was no other way. It was a couple of stories down, and he could likely break something, but if he didn't get out then he would die. Getting himself ready, Tobias looked at the window and ran towards it. He felt the glass smash around him, covering his head as he fell through the air to the ground.

What he was not expecting was the ground to be so soft. Tobias opened his eyes. He had landed on a mat. There was clapping and whopping. Looking up, he saw Shaft and Flash's squads surrounding him, cheering him.

"Thirteen seconds," Shaft remarked, "Not the best score, but still pretty good."

He offered his hand.

"Looks like you're one of us."

Tobias didn't take it.

"What the Hell was that?" He demanded to know angrily.

"Sorry," Shaft apologised, "But we had to be sure that you were brave like you said. What you just went through is one of the usual tests we use to graduate."

Tobias was still angry.

"And what would have happened if I didn't throw myself through the window? What would have happened if I was too afraid, and ended up suffocating?"

Shaft had a serious look on his face. He nodded.

"Come with me."

Tobias followed him. He saw the building he was brought in. It was large and orangish. He looked up to see the window he had smashed through. Going inside, it looked like some kind of pharmacy shop. Going up the steps, he saw the room that he was brought in. Strangely enough, Tobias couldn't hear the flames anymore. Shaft turned the knob.

"What are you doing-?" Tobias tried to stop him.

Shaft pushed away the door. The flames had vanished.

"What?"

Shaft brought up a walkie talkie.

"Light it up."

Suddenly the flames burst again, sealing them in aside from the way Tobias came out.

"Put it out," Shaft said again to the walkie talkie.

The flames started to slowly die until they vanished. Tobias didn't understand what just happened. Shaft beckoned him to one of the spots that one of the fires had come from. Tobias saw some kind of pipe with a hole. He understood. This is what was producing the fire, and he was certain there were other similar pipes placed around the room, giving the impression of a burning room.

"You were never in any real danger," Shaft told him, " So if it sounded like you really weren't prepared to jump out, the fire would have been turned off. Also be glad that the window you smashed through wasn't real glass."

Tobias checked his body. It only just occurred to him that he should be covered in cuts, or at the least lost a limb.

"So you don't actually put your initiates in danger?"

"Of course not!" Shaft sounded offended, "What do you take us for?"

It seemed these Dauntless actually cared about the lives of their initiates, and only made it seem like they were in mortal danger. That was at least better than the Dauntless back home, who put the initiates through real life threatening danger and didn't care if they lived or died.

"Oh just so you know," Shaft was telling him as they walked down, "Some of us were betting on whether you would end up screaming for help. Hey Flash!" He called as they walked out of the building, "You owe us fifty Denars!"

It didn't surprise Tobias to know that Flash betted against his 'initiation'.

"Okay, I'll take you to the gov now," Shaft told him.

Later, Tobias was taken to see the governor of the town, who was situated in a small, white building. He was a middle aged man with a shaved head. Like Shaft he only seem to wear his bullet proof vest, along with shorts. He was also covered in tattoos, even on his head. Tobias spent the next half an hour being interrogated by the man, asking where he was from, how he grew up (Tobias was careful in not revealing that he came from a selfless community, as he was sure the governor would not take kindly to the fact that he came from a similar strand as their enemy). The whole time they were talking, Tobias noticed at a table in a corner sat a figure in a yellow robe, scribbling. On his way here down the road dotted with buildings Tobias saw a number of similar yellow hooded figures scuttling around.

"Are those…?" He asked Lyta, who nodded.

"The Cowards."

The governor was particularly interested in the Dauntless initiation process, and seemed very keen to learn that Tobias was top of his class.

"Did you get that, coward?"

The person in the yellow robe muttered something.

"I can't hear you!" The governor shouted.

"Yes, my Bravest," the coward squeaked meekly.

The governor turned his attention back to Tobias.

"Well then," He smiled, "It seems that's all I need. I'll have Dio escort you to the palace in Gennaiopolis."

"If it's alright with you," Tobias interrupted him, "I would prefer if Flash, I mean, Pente's squad escorted me."

"Oh you would, would you?"

The governor advanced towards Tobias.

"And what makes you think I care about what you want?"

Tobias did not even flinch. Taken aback, the governor smiled.

"Not that it matters to me, but I thought you would prefer Dio's company to Pente's."

"I'm not afraid," Tobias answered.

"No. I'm sure you're not. So be it, have it your way."

Although Shaft was clearly more likeable, Tobias wanted to stay close to Lyta. Besides, he still hadn't forgiven Shaft over his deception, even if he was following orders. And at least he knew where he stood with Flash.

"You're not still mad about what Shaft did to you, are you?" Lyta asked.

They had left the buildings behind them, and were now walking down a road with woods on both sides.

"Would have liked some warning beforehand," Tobias complained.

"Well it's not a real test of bravery if you know what's coming, is it? What are you telling me all of your under grads knew what to expect?"

Lyta had a point.

"No. None of us did. So did you need to do something like that?"

"Well something similar. Towards Grad Day, they always set on you some unexpected thing that's meant to test your bravery, whether it's a bus crashing or a building collapsing. Mine was a bear entering class."

Tobias wasn't sure if she was joking.

"That was a tough one. Most students cowered in the corner (They got a fail). Some stood their ground. We didn't have any weapons, so we had to make due with using things like chairs to defend ourselves."

"And that's what you did?"

"Actually, I didn't think of that. I remember reading that a bear won't attack if it thinks you're dead, so I pretended to have a heart attack and fall to the ground. First, best acting perform I ever did! My eyes were wide open, so I could see the bear go on all fours as it walked towards me, but I didn't move. I remained completely still. It nudged my face with it's nose, but I still didn't move. At that point the bear just sat down. That's when I sat up. My brain told me that was the wrong thing to do, but I can't explain it, I knew at that point the bear meant me no harm. And he didn't seem to mind that I was playing dead. And I don't know what made me do it, but I raised my hand. One of the others told me not to do it, but I put my hand on its nose. Then it just licked it. That was when Diego hit it with a chair. The bear got angry, and probably would have killed him if I hadn't thrown myself in between. The next thing I know I'm in the hosp wing with a few injures but nothing seri. Turns out the bear was a trained beast from the Menagerie. I got top marks for my action."

"I would have thought those who held a weapon would have been the ones that got the best marks."

"Well I almost failed. One of the testers considered my submiss action to be a sign of cowardice, but they said I made up for it by touching the bear's nose and throwing myself in harm's way after. Diego failed, though. They concluded that him attacking an animal that wasn't going to attack was an act of cowardice. Personally, I think it was because they were unhappy he damaged the beast's eye. Poor thing. Um, I mean just because it was attacked when it wasn't going to attack!"

Tobias smiled.

"Someone might say that you're an odd brave yourself."

"Well that's what the testers thought as well. They thought my actions, neither cowardly but not typical for a brave, were, well, odd."

They may thought it was odd, but Tobias knew what someone from Chicago would have thought. He never volunteered at the aptitude tests (He wanted to stay as far from his old faction as possible), but if he was an administrator, then he would probably conclude that in her test, Lyta showed signs not only of bravery, but intelligence and selflessness. Lyta must be Divergent, although he wondered if it was perhaps rarer in a place where the factions kept to themselves rather than accepting transfers like they did back home.

"So what about you?" Lyta asked, "What was your test of bravery?"

"Well, our initiation started with us running towards a train, and those who didn't manage to get on failed."

"Huh. Okay, so they tested your phys prow, although I don't see how that's a test of courage."

"Then later we had to jump off the train and onto a roof."

"Okay that sounds more like it."

"Then had to jump down a hole."

"Wait, you needed to two tests of courage? That seemed a little exc. So then you passed?"

"Not even close. Then we had to go through physical training, then emotional-"

"Jeez, your graduation sounds way too comp! Over here we just have to go through one act of courage and you're accepted if you pass!"

"So you don't have to go through any physical training or mental?"

"Well you do, but after you pass your act of courage then you're already accepted as a citizen. But after that, every grad has to go through the Agoge."

"The what?"

"That's what it's called. It's divided into two sems. The first is phys training, which concludes with you fighting the other grads. Then comes the second sem, where they test your ability to control your fear, which ends with a final test with how well you face your fears. Afterwards they add up your scores to see how well everyone did."

"So there's no chance of failure? Or getting cut?"

"Oh there is."

"How?"

"If you surrender, or refuse to fight or take the drug that will make you face your fears. then you're considered a dropout."

"Some might say a brave man acknowledges another's strength by surrendering."

"Oh, a brave man? But not a brave woman?"

"Sorry."

"True, but a brave never surrenders."

"Back home only the top ten passed."

"Seri? So your brave are like a cratic race! How well did you do?"

"Oh. I was first."

It took Tobias walking several steps before he realised that Lyta was no longer walking beside him.

"Lyta?"

He looked back at her. She was staring at him, looking pale.

"Lyta, what's wrong?"

"You're...YOU'RE A FIRST?"

"Well, yeah-"

Lyta gasped.

"MY BRAVEST!"

She shocked Tobias when at once she knelt down, beating her left best with her right fist.

"Forgive me, my Bravest! I – I spoke out of terms. I was rude to you, I – I tried to kill you! I acted cowardly, I have no excuse, I am completely-"

"Lyta?" Warren came over, grinning, "Why are you bowing to Tobias-"

"Guys! He's a first!"

"He's a- he's a what?" Warren had also gone pale. All of the squad were staring at Tobias.

"He's lying!" Flash accused.

"He's not! I don't think he understands what that means!"

Flash walked towards Tobias.

"Are you really a first?"

Tobias saw that the rest of the squad had also knelt, with their fists beating the left sides of their chests. It was somewhat unsettling.

"If you mean if I got the best result out of my class, then yes."

Flash scanned his face, as if to see any hint that he was lying. Eventually he was convinced.

"Then-"

Even more surreal was how Flash also knelt in front of him.

"Forgive me, my Bravest. I spoke out of terms towards you, and threatened your life. I am unworthy."

An idea came to him.

"As punishment-"

He took out his gun, and gave it to Tobias.

"You may feel free to execute us."

Everyone now raised their heads to look straight at Tobias. He was stunned at this, at how everyone looked so willing to die.

"That won't be necessary."

He pushed the gun back in Flash's hands. Flash looked surprised. He smiled.

"I accept your forgiveness."

Flash gave him an odd look. Everyone else now looked at Tobias with admiration. In Flash's eyes it didn't have that. It was more like resentment.


	12. The Enas

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Soon they reached what Tobias guessed was some sort of waypoint station. He guessed that they were in the vicinity of Gennaiopolis now. Tobias saw trucks driving by. In the backs were what looked like soldiers, except unlike the other Gennai soldiers he'd seen, these were completely covered in red or orange uniforms. Like the Andions they had visors covering their face. They were all laying down, and stacked in a criss-cross pattern. Tobias realised.

"Are those...?"

Lyta nodded.

"The Fallen. Those who have died in battle, brought home for burial."

"Why are they all covered?"

"Well-"

Lyta looked at him as if the answer was obvious.

"No one wants to look at pale corpses."

What was wrong with body bags, or coffins?

At the station, a couple of soldiers took out what looked like large, mechanical bikes.

"I guess I need to take Tobias to the palace," Flash announced, "The rest of you, return to your homes."

"I'll do it!" Lyta offered.

Flash gave her an odd look.

"Saves me from doing it," He shrugged, "I'll phone the guard to let him know you're coming."

"We're going to ride on those?" Tobias asked.

They looked at him.

"Don't you have bikes?" Lyta asked.

"Well, I used to, when I was a kid. But it was nothing like those, it was just like a frame."

"Huh. How odd. But how do you get around your city?"

"We used the trains. "

"You're joking!"

Lyta clasped her mouth. The others looked like they were restraining themselves from laughing. Predictably, Flash laughed.

"Forgive me, my Bravest, but what kind of brave use such a cowardly form of transport?"

Cowardly? Tobias frowned.

"It's not exactly cowardly when trying to jump on and off it while it's still running."

"Oh. Okay, I'll give you that, but still, it's not like it's the most dangerous, unsafe form of transport, is it?"

"So you've never ridden on a bike before?" Lyta asked.

Tobias shook his head.

"Not like one of those, no."

Lyta got on one of the mechanical monstrosities, and put on a helmet.

"Here, my Bravest."

She offered Tobias another helmet.

"It's against the law to ride a bike without one of these. It didn't used to be, but I guess the Enas prefer their soldiers to die in battle rather than by an accy."

Tobias put it on. lifting up the visor, he climbed on behind Lyta. He looked around.

"Er, how to I prevent myself from falling off?"

Lyta laughed.

"Don't worry. You can wrap your arms around me."

Tobias was glad that he had a helmet on at the moment. He did as he was told, wrapping his arms around Lyta's waist. The guys from the squad wolf whistled.

"Oh I see," Said Sonya, "You just wanted an excuse cos this will be the closest you'll ever get to a First."

"Shut up," Lyta snapped, "He's a little young for me."

Why did Tobias feel a little stung when she said that?

Lyta twisted one of the handles. Tobias heard a sound from the bike like you would hear from a car. He was not prepared for how suddenly and how quickly the bike started. Tobias gripped harder on Lyta. She laughed.

"Relax, my Bravest. I've got you."

He had never known anything to travel so fast. He watched the buildings and forests fly by. More and more houses appeared. Tobias still couldn't believe that it was Dauntless who lived in housing like this, as he associated it more with Abnegation. Soon Tobias saw the tall blocks of a real city, although they were not nearly as big as the ones back home. As they drove down, a group of teenagers came out of nowhere and ran across the road ahead of them. Lyta almost lost her balance after driving around the last kid.

"Stupid kids!" She shouted back. Tobias could hear laughter from the gang.

"Does that often happen?"

Lyta nodded.

"Gennai kids like to prove their bravery by running across the road when a bike is driving down it."

That sounded like something a Dauntless would do.

"It's not legal now, but it used to be encoured."

Tobias couldn't help but feel that Lyta missed this previous age when Gennai were allowed to put themselves in danger in order to test their courage compared to a today that encourages safety. He wondered how they would feel about people jumping in and out of still moving trains (Although as far as he knew there had never been fatalities. The worst injury someone got was a dislodged shoulder). He felt the bike slowing down.

"Are we there?"

"Not quite. We're nearing the Crat Area."

"The Crat area?"

"It's the part of the city where only the Crats are allowed in. But they'll be expecting us, so I just need to show them some ID."

Sure enough, there was someone that Tobias guessed was a guard when they finished slowing down. Lyta took out her dog tags and gave them to the guard. Once he finished examining them he gave them back. Then they sped up again. Some time later Lyta was slowing down again.

"Are we there now?"

"Just need to make a turn. I'll let you know when we've arrived."

Nearing the crossroad, Lyta took a sharp turn to the right. Tobias gripped on tightly to Lyta again. It occurred to Tobias that while getting on and off of trains a year ago required bravery, trains were pretty much safe transport. He remembered how he needed to maintain balance when first riding a bike, and to do that on one of these, that moved much faster than even a car, needing to make sharp turns every now and again? Tobias could imagine his hair being whipped by the wind without his helmet. Beneath it he smiled. This really was a Dauntless form of travel.

* * *

After making another sharp turn Lyta slowed down again.

"Okay, we're here. Up ahead is the palace where the Enas live."

Tobias got off and looked in front of him. It didn't look as big as the place that was chosen back home to the new government, but still it was impressive. It was comprised of a large domed building with two smaller blocks on each side. In front was a golden statue of an overly muscular man, holding up a rifle in the air.

"Who's that?"

"That's Gennaius," Lyta explained, "The founder of our city, our way of life. Well I guess this is goodbye. It's been fun. Good luck. My Bravest."

And Lyta drove off. Tobias walked up to the statue. The figure looked like he was wearing nothing but boots and a pair of briefs, although the latter seemed rather pointless in concealing his groin area. Whoever sculpted the statue probably wanted to emphasise Gennaius' virility. They were also probably trying to show someone at a physical peak, but personally Tobias thought it made him look grotesque, with his muscles upon muscles (He had a set of abs that Bry would have been jealous of!). Only his head, small in proportion to the rest of his body, alone showed any sign that he was meant to be handsome. He also saw pictures on the statue. He guessed they were meant to be tattoos. Passing the statue, he walked up the steps to the palace. Two cowards were by the doors, their heads bowed as they opened them.

"Go to the second floor," One of them told him, "the door to your right. The Enas will be waiting for you there."

Tobias walked in. He found himself walking towards a large, spherical room. Above him the ceiling had several paintings. One included a woman in armour holding a sword (it looked as if it had been painted over), another looking out at the sea, and another was an armoured man holding a sword. In two corners were a young soldier each, holding a shield depicting a ball of fire and a sword. When he reached the room the same monstrous form of Gennaius was waiting for him there as well, his hand reaching out as if to shake. On the pedestal that it stood, was an eagle on top of a shield, and engraved around it were the words:

GENNAIUS WELCOMING

THE WORLD

Seeing the staircase behind, he walked up to the second floor. When Tobias reached it, there was a painting that showed what looked like a bunch of Gennai soldiers and a group of Cowards bowing to them. Turning right, he walked down the corridor, which was lined with cowards, their heads bowed and faces obscured, to the room he was told to go through. He walked through the doors. He found himself in a large, bare room. Up ahead, on another level, he saw a group of people standing at the other end. All of them were muscular, and although none were as muscular as the Gennaius statues many were a close second, with a number so ripped their veins were visible. They didn't seem to be wearing anything apart from briefs or the kind of trunks fighters for entertainment wore, some red, some orange, some even gold! He also noticed that the older they were, the more tattoos they had. Many of the older ones were bald, although they had likely shaved their heads because they ran out of spaces for tattoos on the rest of their bodies. Lyta described them as a family, yet most of them didn't look alike, even having different skin colour or different shaped eyes. What they all had in common though was a vertical line (which Tobias guessed represented a '1') tattooed somewhere on their bodies.

"Are you the one called Tobias?" A dark skinned, short haired Ena (Who was noticeably less muscular compared to most of the others) asked. Tobias nodded.

The Ena walked down some adjacent steps to meet him.

"I'm Mike. Gov Wes Ena of Sharma told us that you're a First. Is that true?"

"If you mean that I was top of my class, then yes."

Mike smiled.

"Well then."

He held out his hand.

"You'll find that we are a family of Firsts."

Tobias grabbed Mike's arm in the Gennai fashion and shook his arm.

"Er, what are you doing?" The Ena asked.

"Sorry," Tobias quickly withdrew his hand, "It's just that I was told-"

"Only joking, dude!" Mike laughed, taking his arm again to shake, "Go on, no need to be nervous."

Tobias cautiously shook it.

"Come on, it's not like it's your first time, is it?"

The other Enas roared with laughter at Mike joke. Tobias tried not to go red. He really did feel like an initiate all over again.

"Well it's nice to see that one of you have been taught the proper way to shake," Another Ena had walked down to meet them, "Rather than that wussy form one of the other Beyonders tried to give."

Tobias stared at the wrinkled-skinned man.

"But- you're old!" He exclaimed before he could stop himself.

The old Ena frowned.

"Your point?"

"Sorry," Tobias quickly apologised, "It's just that back home, when a brave got too old he either had to leave or commit suicide."

"Oh. Well I can under that. But I think you'll find there is still some strength left in these old bones!"

"Let me see him."

Tobias heard a faint voice from the crowd. Some of the Enas helped up an extremely elderly man, who had white hair and a beard. He was not as heavily tattooed as the other elderly Enas.

"This is Diego," Mike explained, "He is our eldest."

Diego looked at Tobias.

"You can put me down now," He said to the Enas holding him up, who let him down.

"You will be brought to the others," Mike explained, "COWARDS!"

The Cowards burst into the room, scuttling, their hands together in their sleeves.

"Yes, my Bravest?" Asked a Coward in front of the crowd.

"Take this Tobias down to the others."

"Yes, my Bravest!" The Coward squeaked, "This way please!"

* * *

Tobias was brought to a basement area. The Coward took him to a vault, and turned the door open. Tobias walked in. Inside were Amar, George, Christina and Yamaru. They looked in the direction of the door.

"FOUR!"

Christina ran to him. She jump into his arms.

"I thought – I thought -" She mumbled.

"I'm okay." Tobias patted her back.

"Nice to see you've finally joined us, Toby."

Yamaru walked up to them. The left side of his face was all bandaged up.

"What did they do to you?" Tobias asked, alarmed.

"Oh this?" He brought up his hand to his face, "This wasn't them, at least not intentionally. My face got struck by an explosion on the way down. Mortimer's dead, by the way. We landed on the Gennai side of the front and one of the soldiers mistook him for one of the enemy and shot him in the head, right in the eye. I knew him wearing black was a bad idea!"

"Funny how you didn't give us any similar warning before we joined you on this journey," Christina told him.

"Well I didn't expect us to get hit and fall in the front line. Now that you're here, Toby I guess now is the time to do further business with the Enas."

"But wait a minute, what about Caleb, or Cara, or Matthew?"

"If they were captured, they would have been brought here by now."

"You mean….?"

"Not necessarily. They could have landed on the Andion side of the battle. If that's the case don't worry about them. The Andions take great care of their prisoners, and after telling them that they're Erudites and what that means an Exyp will come and take them in."

"An Exyp?" Christina asked.

"They're the equivalent of Erudites here."

"Yeah, a girl I met mentioned that the Abnegation and Erudites are allies here," Tobias told the group, "It's still hard to believe."

"Okay, first of all, they're not Abnegation and Erudites, we're talking about a different breed of selfless and intelligent here that have developed differently from Chicago. Also it's not really that hard to believe. I mean the main reason for conflict between Selfless and Intelligent is over how best to govern and since they don't live in the same city that conflict doesn't exist. It's an advantage of keeping them apart."

"I think you'll find the differences between Abnegation and Erudite go a little further than that," Tobias tried to explain to him.

"Not really," Yamaru shrugged, "It has always been my opinion that the Selfless and Intelligent, especially Abnegation and Erudites, have more in common than you think, when it comes to living a practical life, their diet, their attitude to art, control of their emotions (apart from compassion), even to sexuality. The main difference being the reasons for the way they live their life."

"No, I'm sorry Mr Yamaru but I don't think you understand. Abnegation and Erudite values are just complete opposite of each, for example when it comes to asking questions-"

"But of course!" Yamaru laughed, "I forgot that it's only selfish people who ask questions. Tell me Tobias, if a girl is hearing at the dinner about all these lies being spread about her faction do you think she was being selfish for wanting to know why people were attacking those she cared about?"

Tobias felt as though he had suddenly been punched in the face.

"Now as much as I enjoy this conversation we really need to get a move on. Excuse me," He addressed the Coward at the door, "What is your name?"

The Coward seemed stunned at this question.

"I-" He stammered, "I have no name."

"Ah, I see. You came from an Arithmocratic family, didn't you? Well then, Mr Nameless, if you can please lead us back to the Enas I am ready to talk further with them."

The Coward nodded.

"This way please, my Brave, Bravers and Bravest."

The group started to follow him. Yamaru raised his cane in front of Tobias.

"Oh and one more thing Toby, there is something you should know if we are to go on this venture together. Never ever tell me that I don't understand something as I understand far more than your thick brain could comprehend."

Yamaru's hand tightened over his cane.

"Okay?" He suddenly smiled, all tension in his face vanishing. Tobias hesitantly nodded.

"Glad to her it!"

He patted him on the back. As Tobias watched Yamaru walked down the corridor, he was beginning to regret joining him.

 **To be continued...**

* * *

Professor: Greetings, readers. I am sure you remember me and my associate, Samuel The Slug, from a couple of chapters back.

Sammy: Hello!

Professor: The reason for our absence being that since there were no reviews to respond to, then there was no need for us. But rest assured, even though the Commentator is done with this story myself and Samuel are still here to respond to any reviews and questions you may have. So Samuel! Open the shoot!

Sammy: You got it, Prof! (Tries to jump to pull the lever, but is too small) Eh! Eh!

Professor: Oh here, let me help you.

(Picks Sammy up so that he's at level with the lever, biting the knob and pulling it down)

Sammy: Ha! Knew I'd get it!

(An envelope pops out.)

Professor: Right then. Our review comes from TillyRosie:

Thanks for updating! So Lyta has the same aptitudes as Tris. That will make Tobias feel even more connected with her.

Ah yes the idea was to make Lyta similar to Tris as a potential love interest for Tobias. Well then, see you all next chapter.


	13. Different Experiences

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

"So what happened with you lot?" Tobias asked.

"Well we were all separated when we landed," Christina explained, "But we were instantly captured. Four, they thought we were the enemy!"

"I know. Here black is the colour the Abnegation wear."

"It's still hard to comprehend that these Dauntless wear Amity colours," Amar remarked.

Tobias could appreciate it was weirdest for Amar, who was born Dauntless.

"Anyway, because I was unarmed they just imprisoned me," Christina continued.

"The same thing happened to you two?" Tobias asked the others.

George and Amar nodded.

"More or less," George said.

"You were lucky," Tobias replied enviously, "The Gennai soldier I ran into almost blew my head off."

"You're kidding!" Christina looked shocked, "How did you survive?"

"I managed to convince her I wasn't one of the enemy by saying 'me'. Apparently the Andions don't use the first person."

"Yeah I think that's what also made the soldiers who captured us second guess whether we were Andions," Christina concluded.

"They didn't try to kill me," Yamaru revealed, "They assumed from my attire that I was an Exyp. And despite being on the opposing side they wouldn't kill an Exyp. They consider it dishonourable to kill a non-combatant, so they just captured me."

"Well anyway," Christina continued, "We were eventually brought together. We tried to convince them that we weren't the enemy. But when we told them that we came from beyond the fence they didn't believe us."

"Of course they wouldn't," Yamaru told her, "They've been cut off from the rest of the world for centuries."

"So?" Christina asked, "They can't actually think they're the only people in existence, can they?"

"Oh really?" Yamaru raised an eyebrow, "So if someone a year ago suddenly declared that they were from beyond the city, beyond the amity settlements, would you believe them?"

There was silence among the group. They all knew the answer.

"Also some don't, but most say they don't believe there's anything beyond the fence that's living. What you have to understand is that they have had a giant wall that's separated them from the rest of the world for two centuries, with no way to see what's beyond it, and as far as they know they've had no contact with anyone for all that time. For all they know, beyond the fence might as well be a wasteland. To tell them you're from beyond the fence, you might as well tell them you're from outer space."

"So how did you managed to convince them?" Tobias asked.

"I showed them an image of the vehicle we came in. The people here don't have flight capability, you see."

"So you're saying for all this time they never developed the technology?"

"Well some agents might have made sure they never developed the means for flight."

Tobias turned on him.

"Wait a minute! The Bureau had people here?"

"Well yes. Had to make sure they didn't develop the means to escape their cage, or any weapon powerful enough to blow a hole in the fence."

"And yet they did nothing to end the war?"

"Any direct attempt, it felt, would have jeopardised the experiment. Anyway, after showing them the schismatics, they were curious, but sceptical, so I offered to show them where our helicopter crashed. Eventually I was able to persuade them. When we got there, it looked like there had been a battle."

Tobias nodded.

"I was there. I had the same idea to prove I came from beyond the fence by showing them proof of how I got here. When we got there, though, we were ambushed. We must have just missed you."

"Yes, the Andions must have seen the falling helicopter and sent a scout team to investigate," Yamaru theorised, "Then we saw the grave. Some of us feared the worse, but then we checked the name on the gravestone. The Gennai soldiers were very distressed, apparently the dead soldier was some kind of celebrity."

"I bet they must have dug him up for burial here I take it?" Tobias asked, somewhat hopeful, even though he didn't fully understand the need or desire about burial he at least understood it was an important issue.

"Nno, once a body's been interred they don't open the grave until they're sure the body's fully decomposed. Here it's a hundred years but in a grave without a coffin, it won't be until a year before they decide to return the remains."

A year?

"So after proving to them the existence of the helicopter," Yamaru continued to explain, "They still weren't convinced we were from beyond the fence, or beyonders as they called us. They thought it more likely that it was just more advanced technology developed by the enemy. Regardless, they brought us back to the capital for interrogation. I knew there was only one way to prove we came from beyond the fence, and that was to tell them the fence was no longer electrified and show it."

"And that convinced them?"

"For the most part. Enough to hear what we have to say."

"Like bring peace?"

"That's going to take some work. For now, leave the talking to me."

They walked back into the room where the Enas stood.

"So Mr Yamaru, you are ready to talk?" Asked Mike.

Tobias gained the impression that although the Enas probably shared equal power, Mike seemed to be a particularly influential member, in the same way that although the Dauntless leaders were equal in status Max was the most important.

"I am your Bravest," Yamaru replied.

"Very well. You will all join us for lunch at Twelve. In the mean time one of us will give you a tour of the city. We shall also make preps for rooms to make your stay more welcoming."

"Thank you, your Bravest, but if it's alright with you, I think we will stay with the Dios."

There was silence.

"Why?" Mike asked threateningly.

"It's just that they would have more spacious room for us."

The Enas huddled together. After some fierce whispering, they dispersed.

"Very well," Mike allowed, "We shall give you a guide."

"Thank you, your Bravest. Ahem," He muttered to the others.

"What?" Christina asked.

"Kneel," He whispered through the corner of his mouth.

"What?" Christina asked again.

"Kneel like how I told you before."

"What? Oh right!"

Christina, Amar and George all knelt, beating the right sides of their chests with their left fists.

"No no, it's your right fists, not your left! And kneel lower! My apologies, your Bravest, my friends are not used to the forms of greetings here."

"Yes, my apologies," Said George, bowing in the correct way, "Your Bravest."

"No no, it's 'my Bravest' coming from you," Yamaru explained.

Tobias tried bowing as well.

"You don't need to bow, Toby," Yamaru stopped him by placing his cane below him, "You're their equal."

"Ha!" Laughed a red haired young Ena around the same age as Tobias, "I'm not sure about that!"

"It was probably not the smartest move to show favouritism for the Dios," Yamaru explained after leaving the room, "But I know the Enas won't have room for guests, whereas the Dios' mansion used to be a hotel before the Purity Wars and they will still have rooms that they're not using."

"What's a hotel?" Tobias asked.

Yamarau looked at him. He sighed.

"A hotel is a building before the wars that people would stay at while visiting a place. Sometimes for business, other times for a holiday. Chicago had numerous hotels before the wars. Let's see, what would be the best comparison?"

Yamaru clicked his fingers.

"You know that large, rectangular building diagonally opposite the old Hub on the other side of the river? The one with no windows?"

It took Tobias a moment to realise what he was referring to. He nodded.

"That used to be a hotel."

"You're kidding?" Christina gaped.

"Well it did used to be in better condition."

"There's something I'm a little confused about," Tobias told Yamaru, "You say that I'm the Enas' equal?"

"Well, yes."

"Because I achieved top rank in Initiation?"

Yamaru nodded.

"But I thought you had to be born into the Ena family to be considered the top? Or in their Agogh do they rig it so that Ena children achieve the top rank?"

"The Agogh?" Christina asked.

"It's like most of the training for Initiation," Tobias explained, "Only you've practically already passed if you've jumped down a hole or faced a bear unless you end up surrendering in a fight or turn down the simulation and they don't disqualify everyone below the top ten."

"They DON'T just accept the top ten?" Christina gaped increduously, "Huh. That's hard to imagine."

"Not really," Amar shrugged, "You have to remember that the whole only the top ten pass thing was only introduced seven years ago. When it was announced a year before my own choosing it was a bit of a shock."

"Not scared, were you, Amar?" George grinned, nudging his boyfriend.

"Well more nervous than afraid," Amar grinned back, "Mind you I did okay."

"'Passed with flying colours' I believe your exact words were," Tobias reminded him.

"But yeah, I remember back in my day," George started to explain, "That you didn't have to be in the top ten to pass initia..."

He trailed off.

"I suddenly feel very old."

Everyone laughed.

"You're still not too old for me," Amar assured him, putting his arm around him.

"So all you need to do here is jump on a roof and you immediately pass Initiation?" Christina confirmed, "Sounds like a breeze compared to what we had to go through. Then again," She had a sardonic smile, "If surrendering means an instant fail then that would probably mean I would have been out during the physical training. But at least I wouldn't have to dangle off a railing to avoid failing!"

"No you would be expected to wear a yellow robe and be ordered about by the Dauntless," Tobias told her.

"And I'm sorry, but earlier you said something about a bear?" George asked.

"Oh yeah. Apparently one of the soldiers I met, Lyta, her initiation involved facing a bear."

"Lyta?" Christina asked, "So this was a girl?"

"Yes," Tobias answered, not entirely sure why she was asking that.

"Well she was obviously joking!" Christina told him.

"I thought that, but the way she described her experience, she couldn't have possibly been lying."

"Oh come on, Four!" Amar said, "You can't possibly believe that she faced an actual bear."

"She probably did."

Everyone looked at Yamaru.

"What?"

"Facing a large, fierce animal tends to be a favourite for Initiation here."

"Come on, Yamaru!" Amar said, "You can't actually expect us to believe that bears still exist."

Yamaru nodded.

"Seriously?" Christina asked, "A large, furry, sharp teeth and clawed-"

"Yes. And to answer your previous question, Toby, whereas it's not entirely unfeasible the Arithmocrats would never allow their children to cheat during the Agoge. True there have been accusations that they makes Initiation or 'Graduation' as it's known here deliberately easier for their children to pass through-"

"I don't understand," Tobias told him.

"Well they wouldn't want their children to fail Graduation-"

"No, I mean if they don't rig it then how do the Arithmocratic children gain the same rank as their parents?"

"Tobias, the Aritmocracy aren't families based on blood, they're based on adoption. See, unlike you lot they don't just accept the top ten. If they did they would hardly have any soldiers at all! But they do use a ranking system, but it's used to find the top ten, each one adopted into a family according to their rank."

Tobias understood.

"Oh I get it! So those who scored fifth place are adopted into the Pentes, and those who scored second into the Dios."

Yamaru nodded.

"And those who score the top place are adopted into the Enas. Had you and Tris grown up here, you would have both been adopted into the Ena family, and groomed for leadership. You would have also expected to marry each other. Well, unless the new Ena after you or before you was a girl."

Tobias tried to imagine it. He tried to imagine living in a palace, being waited on by servants. Somehow he couldn't imagine it.

"And what if you don't want to be adopted?"

"I'm afraid you would have no choice!" Yamaru laughed, "It's not like in Chicago where you can turn down a place in leadership! Anyway, no one here would want to pass up the opportunity to join the most powerful family in the city!"

"When I told the soldiers I was with that I got the top place, the way they were treating me, like I was better than them."

"Well the Gennai are taught to respect those who have achieved the top ten ranks, especially the firsts, the Bravest of the Brave. The Enas are practically royalty. Wait until you tell everyone you only have four fears, they'll get ecstatic!"

Tobias couldn't help but think that Yamaru looked annoyed that he didn't understand what he meant earlier.

"It's just how - apologetic they were- when they found out."

"Of course they were!" Yamaru laughed, "They had likely discovered that they had unwittingly insulted a prince! A prince from a foreign land, but a prince nonetheless."

Yamaru stared at Tobias' blank expression. He sighed.

"Honestly, what did they teach in school about the old world?"

"Well," Christina said, "knowledge about the old world is patchy at best, isn't it?"

"Well in the experiments, they were," Yamaru told her, "It's just that when I first started working for the Bureau, I was under the assumption that you all were fairly knowledgeable about the old world. But after a couple of years when I found how just how little you knew - well it seemed rather contradictory."

"Hey," Christina rounded on him, "We weren't completely ignorant, you know! For example we knew that before the wars our ancestors governed themselves in a democracy-"

"And yet somehow you didn't know that that democracy was called the United States of America. Of course, I can forgive your ignorance but the fact that the Erudites were themselves seemingly clueless, especially considering that history is one of the core subjects of Erudites, it makes me wonder what kind of history you were being taught."

"I always assumed that the Bureau held back information in order to control us," Tobias told him.

"But of course! Yes, well aside from the obvious details surround the wars, why not hold back ALL information just to somehow control them. Yes that makes perfect THEIR BASE WAS THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION, THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE!"

Yamaru sighed.

"Still, can't fault you too much for not knowing much about the old world, I suppose. You should hear what the Gennai's interpretation of history is! They think that this area was once called the Spring Field, because it was Spring all year round, inhabited by the peaceful, peace loving red race, before the bloodthirsty white race came and slaughtered the natives, building the city that after the wars became the Gennai home. But long before that their history also tells them about how this and everything within the fence was once part of a great kingdom that touched two different oceans on each side, but that aside from the white race they also important a race of humans called the black race as slaves, but then there were whites in the north including this region who thought this was wrong and sought to free them, which was opposed by those whites from the south which led to civil war, leading to victory of the north under King Abe, who came from this city."

"So none of that is true?" Tobias asked.

"Mmore or less it's true, although referring to different races as colour is kinda archaic now, it was a republic not a kingdom, Abraham Lincoln was a president not a king and although he did live here he wasn't born here, and the city was called Springfield after another city elsewhere in the U.S.. Also the history might have exaggerated the peacefulness of the Native Americans and the violence of the European Settlers."

"So what about everything after that?" Christina asked, "Like how the Gennai came here?"

"Well I would tell you, but why not leave it to our esteemed guide to explain the history?"

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

Professor: Welcome back my readers to another Review Response. Let us take a look at some of the reviews you have sent us last chapter.

(Opens the shoot)

Sammy: Hey, Prof! I thought I was going to be opening the shoot from now on?

Professor: No offence Samuel, but if we kept playing that same gag over and over again it would get old. Now then, our review comes from TillyRosie:

Haha motorbikes are pretty Dauntless! Great chapter!

Thank you. Interestingly enough the idea for motorcycles came when Anonymius was coming up with an idea for the five factions in another city for a different fanfiction idea he had, and thought that the transport that seemed most fitting for a faction whose virtue was bravery was motorcycles, however trains were also expected to be used late at night (although no jumping on and off of them), as well as walking through dangerous areas. But I'm sure other people have their own ideas on what Dauntless transport should be like. Well then, see you all next chapter.

Sammy: Whenever that would be!

Professor: (SHH!)


	14. A Tour Around The City

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

One of the Enas, who introduced himself as Mar, led them outside to a truck.

"Hop on board."

They all gathered in the back, apart from Yamaru who sat at the front with the driver. As they drove away, Mar started to explain their history.

"Our city was founded over two hundred years ago, when Gennaius, a great hero of the wars, led a band of soldiers to settle here, including his nine closest comrades. Here he established the code that all future Gennai would live their lives by, as well as setting up the Agoge, which each new generation of Gennai would test themselves, after his heir proved to be a cowardly and treacherous young man, so Gennaius set up the Agoge to reveal the bravest of the new generation, who he would adopt as his son instead, so that the bravest will continue to lead the people, whereas the cowards would be exiled, until they proved too cowardly to leave, so they were made to work here. After his death, the cult of Gennaius was set up."

The group spent the next hour being driven around the city. After leaving the palace Mar drove them around an area of the city called the Necropolis. Tobias noted that the area ended with the same suffix as the five cities that dominated this land, and wondered if it was meant to be a city within a city. There were a number of large buildings that Mart called 'mausoleums'. Tobias wasn't sure what a mausoleum was, but the buildings looked like places of business. He didn't ask what a mausoleum was, or why this area was called the Necropolis. Being raised in Abnegation had bred out of him an impulse to ask questions.

"So, you called this place a polis? That means city, right?"

Christina, on the other hand, was used to saying whatever was on her mind, and was sure to be bursting with all kinds of questions, as well as some comments, as he remembered a year ago when she was a Dauntless initiate. He hoped that she wouldn't say anything offensive.

"Yes," Mar answered her question.

"So what, was one city not enough for you all?"

And there it was (Tobias almost rolled his eyes). Typical Christina.

"Well it's a special city. A city of the dead."

There was silence among the group.

"What would the dead need a city for?"

"Well it's not a lit city. It's just a phrase for where we keep our dead."

Tobias looked around.

"You mean all of these buildings contain corpses?"

Perhaps Abnegation hadn't completely bred out of him a need to ask questions. For a moment, Mar looked stung. He reminded him of how he felt when Christina referred to Tris as 'Tris' ashes', when he was used to referring to her as Tris.

"Well, bodies yes, the bodies of most Crat fams. The only Fam who don't have dead here are the Pentes, the Dekkas, and of course us, the Enas."

"Why not?" Tobias asked.

Yes, Abnegation had definitely failed to completely removed an impulse to ask questions. The guide seemed confused by his question.

"Well, the Enas bury our dead near the Tomb of Gennaius, which is far from here. As for the other fams, I don't know."

Yamaru, however, seemed to know the answer.

"I think it's because when deciding where to bury their dead, the Arithmocrats chose the tallest buildings, just like how they chose which buildings to live in, and of course the higher Arithmocrats have better choosing so after choosing the top ten tallest buildings they chose the next tallest buildings for their dead, aside from the Enas who wanted to be buried where Gennaius is. It just so happens that most of the buildings are clustered together."

Tobias saw that it looked like Christina wanted to say something, but didn't. He guessed she can restrain herself. She looked around.

"So what's with all these restaurants? What do the dead like to go out for food and drink or something?"

He guessed not.

"These are places to eat after funerals."

"Oh."

Christina had gone red out of embarrassment.

"Also on the anniversary of deaths people like to buy food and take them up in front of the deceased's tomb where they'll have a picnic, with some food out for the departed of course."

"Of course?" Christina looked like she was about to ask something again, but restrained herself.

"We know the dead don't actually eat the food, but it's part of the ritual."

Tobias could see that Christina was struggling with herself with not blurting out with what she felt was wrong with this.

"Do the Dauntless not have similar customs?"

Everyone looked at each other.

"Well-" Tobias started to say.

"What's that buliding over there?" Yamaru pointed out.

Tobias wondered if Yamaru interrupted him because of something he was about to say. He was pointing to a large, rectangular building. It looked newer compared to the rest of the buildings. Much newer.

"Oh that's the tomb of the Viges," The guide explained.

"I'm sorry, the Viges?" Christina asked.

Mar had a look that suggested he was going to assume that his group knew nothing from now on.

"People who dress up in spandex to fight crime."

"What's spandex?"

"A smooth, stretchy material that was commonly used in physical costumes that was in common use before the purity wars." Yamaru explained, "Although not all viges wear spandex it is commonly associated with them."

"And why would they do that?"

"For popularity," Mar answered, "Most people prove their bravery through the Agoge, the war, and catching perps within the cops, but there are those with less success who try to cheat their way to glory. Cops hate them because they fere in their buis, but the people love them so they stick around. Besides I guess you can't really condemn someone for doing something brave."

"If I'm not mistaken, a number of the heroes of old, even some of the great heroes, were supposedly viges in their lifetimes," Yamarau mentioned.

"Alleged," The guide said awkwardly.

"Also I believe the tomb is only reserved for city wide popular Viges, but there are shrines dotted throughout the city to community viges."

After leaving the Necropolis, they went up and down the city, being shown the sights. Aside from the mausoleums the guide also pointed out the mansions that the crats lived in, although emphasising how much smaller they were compared to the Enas' palace. Some of them looked like they were office buildings, like the mausoleums, although others included what looked like a building for telecommunications, a factory, hospital, and a miniature version of the palace. Tobias couldn't help but notice the size of the so-called crat area, which seemed to encompass a sizeable chunk of the city and comprised of a number of ruins.

"Seems like such a large space for a handful of families who already have enough space," Tobias couldn't help but say.

He guess that being raised Abnegation hadn't completely rid him of a need to comment, or maybe that came from the conditioning he received from Dauntless?

"Well the area is not just for us crats, but also those servants who don't have any room to sleep in the palace or mansions, and those raths who work in the area, such as teachers and shop workers or those who work in museums."

The guide showed off alot of museums. There were museums for different things, like a museum for the Heroes of Old (whoever they were), a history museum of the city, a museum of the history of the war (something that Tobias was most particularly interested in), a museum celebrating the police force, another fire fighters, a museum for the military, a museum for Gennaius, even one for the viges in the Necropolis. There was also a Natural History museum, which housed stuffed animals taken down by hunters. Tobias couldn't help but notice that most of these were situated in the Crat area, which was off limits to most of the rest of the people unless they had a pass, although Mar explained how they could get permission to visit the museums on special occasions or school trips. A rather grisly fact about many of these museums was that not just animals but killed prominent enemy combatants and criminals also had their bodies stuffed and put on display.

"I'm sorry, what?" A shocked Christina asked.

"Well, yes," A puzzled Mar looked at his shocked group, as if skinning a human being and stuffing it with sawdust was no different than a animal.

"Of course, it's hard to find prom Andies given that they don't disting themselves or even have names, so we give them names."

The only one who didn't looked shocked was Yamaru, who Tobias guessed already knew all this.

Aside from the area there were also numerous parks apparently restricted to the crats, many of which were outside the area. These were actual parks with trees and living grass unlike the piles of grass back home (Although plans had been made to replant the plants in these). Mar explained that they were used as hunting grounds by crats. Other places of note were the often talked about Agoge (The building that it was based in looked like it had once been a university. He had to suppress a smile watching initiates jog across the ground, being barked at by instructors, as it took him back to his instructor days), which was situated next to a lake, an actual lake rather than the marsh back home, a few more mausoleums including that of the Enas and Gennaius (Which was bigger and looked newer compared to the other mausoleums that were just old buildings used to bury dead in), something called a theater, a mini water themed version of Navy Pier, the ruins of a house where the Hero of Old Abe lived, the temple of Gennaius (Yamaru explained a temple was a specific place of worship. This Tobias found quite peculiar, as the Abnegation used any available space for worship. He also mentioned that there were other temples throughout the city), An open air oblong structure of a building that Mar called the Crat's Arena (Apparently again there were arenas throughout the city), where games and sports took place and people settled their disputes, a Menagerie that contained all sorts of large wild animals for some of the sports, and a library called the Hall of Records that contained the deeds of every Hero of Old and great Gennai. What Tobias noticed that aside from the Crat area, the city looked in better condition compared to Chicago, especially a year ago. Perhaps it was because it was a smaller city. However he did noticed the odd ruin throughout the city. Mar explained that many people lived in the country anyway. A thought came to Tobias.

"Excuse me," He came up to the front of the truck, "Where do you keep records of where people live?"

Mar looked at him. Tobias had a feeling that something he said unsettled the guide.

"You mean the City Archives? They're just next door to the palace, smallest building south. Why do you want to know?" Mar frowned.

"Just curious," Tobias shrugged.

"Huh, a curious Abnegation," Christina remarked, "That's a second."

"I'm not Abnegation, Christina," Tobias reminded her.

"Really?" She sounded sceptical, "Sometimes you could've fooled me."

After being driven around Mar took them to where they would be staying.

"And up ahead is the Dio's mansion."

It was pointed out to him earlier when they were driving around the city. The Dios' mansion was a nonagonal shaped tower. Mar parked then just out of sight of the entrance.

"Well I'll leave you all to it."

And he drove off.

"He just left us, without anyone guarding us?" Christina pointed out, "Aren't they afraid we might do something they don't like?"

Yamaru looked at her.

"Brave? Afraid? AHAHAHHAHA! But seriously, they know we can't leave the city without permission and don't think there's anything we can do that's much of a threat. Right, we have an hour to kill before we have to have lunch with the Enas. I'm going to have a tour around the city by foot. We should meet back here in about half an hour to enter our lodgings then get ready for lunch."

"Half an hour? What are we supposed to do in the mean time?" Christina asked.

"Like me, explore the sights. Oh and Tobias, there's something you should know. Avoid using words like 'excuse me' when talking to Gennai. They see politeness as a form of weakness, and they associate it with the Cowards. Next time you want to ask something, just say 'hey'."

And he walked off.

"I guess the best thing to do is to stick together," George suggested.

"You all do that," Tobias told them, "I want to check something at these records."

It made more sense to check out the museum on the war, for one thing it was closer, but there was something Tobias desperately wanted to check.

"Well we're coming with you," Christina told him, "We've been separated long enough, and Yamaru might see this as some kind of holiday but we all came here to stop a war."

Everyone else nodded. Tobias was stunned. Despite growing up in a heavily community oriented faction, he had always felt alone, even with the Dauntless. The only person who didn't make him feel alone was Tris. Touched by everyone's loyalty, and guessing it was best that they stick together, Tobias led the way.

"So who do you want to find?" Christina asked.

"One of the soldiers I befriended. I just want to see if I can get a hold of her."

"You want to find one of your captors?"

"She was quite friendly to me. Well. At times. But she backed me up when I wanted to go to the helicopter wreckage and defended me from the commanding officer who wanted to have me killed."

"So she wasn't the one who tried to blow your head off, was she?"

"-Well..."

"Are you kidding me? You want to befriend the girl who tried to have you killed?"

"Hey it was in a middle of a war, she thought I was the enemy!"

"And now you're making excuses for her?"

Amar and George looked at each other. They grinned.

"Tobias," George told him, "I think you might be suffering from Stockholm Syndrome."

"Stockholm Syndrome? What's that?"

"It's when you fall in love with your captor."

Tobias went red.

"I haven't fallen in love! It's just someone who didn't turn out to be as bad as when we first met."

Everyone nodded, although they didn't look convinced.

They walked to wear the records were, avoiding getting run over by speeding Gennai. After entering the building, Tobias walked up to the counter, which was manned by a coward.

"Excuse me,"

The coward looked up.

"Oh! You're one of these Beyonder brave, aren't you?"

Tobias knew that Yamaru told him to avoid being polite, but he assumed that was towards citizens.

"I need to find out the location of someone."

Well, want might be more accurate.

"I know I probably don't have a right to ask-"

"Certainly, my bravest!"

Huh. He guessed that being the top of your class, even if you're an alien, gave you privileges.

"What's the name of the person?"

It was as if a stone dropped. Tobias had never caught her last name.

"I never got her last name. Her first name's Lyta. She was with a squad led by a Pente. I don't know his first name, but everyone called him Flash-"

"Let's see now, squad led by Pente, first name Flash..."

"Wait. That's an actual first name? I thought it was just a nickname!"

"Let's see here…Oh!"

He looked up.

"Do you mean Lyta Underwood?"

"If that's the only Lyta under the command of a Flash Pente."

"Yes, here's her address."

Writing something on a piece of paper, the coward gave it to Tobias.

"Whereabouts is this?"

"it's in the south part of the city. Hold on, let me draw you a map."

After doing so, he gave it to Tobias. It was by the lake, south of the Agoge. It would take over two hours to get there by foot, and he didn't have a vehicle. At least he knew where it was.

"Thank you."

Tobias couldn't see his full face, but he had a feeling he was being stared at.

"What is it?"

"Sorry, it's just that I don't think a brave has ever thanked me before."

"Where I'm from things are a lot different."

Of course that's because anyone who failed initiation became factionless and left the compound. Tobias wondered how different it would be if those who failed actually remained in the compound. Would they be treated like dirt just like these so called cowards were, being forced to do work Dauntless felt were beneath them? Somehow he already knew the answer to that.

 **To be continued...**

* * *

Professor: Welcome back my readers to another review response. Let's take a look at the reviews from last chapter. Our first review is from-

Sammy: Wait a minute, Prof! You're not doing the shoot bit?

Professor: There's no point, given that it's only really me who opens it without anyone telling me to open it. Now as I was saying, our first review is from TillyRosie:

Can't wait to find out more about the origins of their factions. Makes sense that their interpretation of history would be a little muddled.

Ah yes well although the history you heard is just the Gennai interpretation, more about the origin of this place as well as the beginnings of the factions here will be revealed later on.

Sammy: Our second review comes from Guest:

I don't get the commentary...

Professor: Ah. Yes, well, you see originally it started with Anonymius in his abridged commentary parodies being a cross between how one writer would respond to comments at the beginning of the chapter and the commentary specials on some abridged series parodies where characters would respond to a selection of comments. This 'sketch' so to speak proved popular on a serious piece of fanfiction so Anonymius decided to do it for all of them. Even if it hasn't proven popular here. So anyway, see you all next chapter.


	15. Lunch With The Enas

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

After meeting back with Yamaru, they walked up to the entrance of the Dios' Mansion. The former Bureau member suggested that Amar do the talking, as a fellow second, given that due to the rivalry between the Enas and the Dios they would not respect Tobias as a first. The Dio who met them, who's name was also Mar (Apparently it was a common name) led them to their rooms. He explained that they only had three rooms to spare so people would have to bunk up. George and Amar were happy to share. Tobias' room, however, covered in dust, containing tattered furniture and fleeing spiders, looked as if nothing had been done with it in centuries. He bet this was deliberate given that he was the equivalent of their rival family, as Mar Dio kept giving him looks that reminded him too much of the way some Erudites looked at those from Abnegation back in the day. Actually when he said some he actually meant most. Still, Abnegation taught him to devalue material comfort and Dauntless endurance so this should be nothing. Christina asked to share with him despite the state, as she did not want to share a room with Yamaru. It was at the moment she went to check the bathroom that Yamaru decided to enter.

"Oh Toby, I want your opinion on something."

Tobias turned to look at him. He had finished unwrapping the bandages on his head. Down the side of his face was a huge, bulging scar, his left eye completely gone.

"How bad does it look?"

For a moment Tobias was silent.

"Um, not too bad," Was his answer.

For a moment Yamaru was silent. He frowned.

"I can see you're no good at getting an honest answer!"

Christina returned from the bathroom.

"Oh Christina, what do you think-"

"ERGH!" Christina shrieked, "Your face is hideous now!"

Again Yamaru was silent. Then he burst into laughter.

"See!" He pointed his cane at her, "THAT was the reaction I was looking for! I was hoping to show off my scar to the Enas. Gennai like scars, they don't think you've properly experienced battle with perfect skin! Well anyway if you two can join me in my room."

Tobias and Christina did what they were told. George and Amar were already there.

"Right, we'll be expected to return to the Palace soon. It might be best to appear formal."

"Formal? You mean like suit and tie?" Christina asked.

"Similar concept. Of course Gennai formality is not the same as general formality."

"Meaning?"

"Well, each Arithmocratic family dresses in a certain fashion."

"We're not Arithmocrats," Christina told him.

"From their perspective, you are, so it might be best to dress like as the Arithmocratic families you would be if you lived here."

Tobias understood what he meant.

"No," He said firmly, "I'm not going to lunch wearing nothing but my underwear."

"Suit yourself," Yamaru shrugged, "But I'd suggest you remove at least clothing covering any tattoos. Tattoos are a sign of status among the Arithmocracy and they'll ask you to show them anyway so taking off your clothes now will save you from doing it later."

Tobias was at a moment hesitant. Amar at once pulled off his shirt.

"I've just got tattoos on my arm," Said Christina.

"That's fine," Yamaru told her, "Eptas wear tank tops, so that's perfect, here, put this on."

He gave her a red tank top.

"Where did you get that?" Tobias asked.

"Oh, I have my ways."

Tobias would like to know more about these 'ways' of Yamaru's. Tobias pulled off his shirt. The only one left not to strip was George.

"Now, when you say all of the tattoos, It just so happen I have one on my, um-"

Everyone guessed where exactly he had it.

"Why would you have a tattoo there?" Yamaru asked.

"To prove my bravery," George explained.

Of course.

"Didn't it hurt?" Christina asked.

"A lot," George grinned.

"Yeah, not even the Arithmocrats would ever go far as to have a tattoo there. Anyway I wouldn't worry about you, George. Considering that you never completed your initiation you'll just appear as an ochirath to them and they consider it offensive to see an ochirath have tattoos."

"He's not wrong," Tobias said, "You should have seen the reaction one of the Arithmocrats had of my tattoos, he was outraged."

"Okay, so if you all don't mind, I'm gonna go change in the other room," Said Christina.

"Christina, you've changed among guys before," Amar said, "Besides, I always assumed that Candor didn't have the same sense of shame found among others."

Christina said nothing to that, and went into her and Tobias' room.

They walked back to the palace.

"You okay?" Christina asked Tobias, noticing that he was feeling uncomfortable.

"It's just…I've never been this naked in public before."

Everyone laughed. It wasn't being half naked that was bothering Tobias. His tattoos were a private thing, meant only for him. The only other person he ever confided them to was Tris, and now he had them exposed to the rest of the world. It did make him feel naked. After reentering the palace, they were led to a different room, with a long table that the Enas were already seated at. They were later joined by their children. Tobias noticed that these were fully covered aside from faces and hands, like the ochiraths. He guessed that they needed to prove they were firsts before they could dress like their parents. Among the rowdy bunch he happened to notice a rather sombre looking teenager with his head down and a rucksack slung over his right shoulder, being knocked against by larger teens. He wore jeans, a red t-shirt and jacket, was of slim built, and had dark brown hair with a fringe that was sticking up. Later the food came in. Tobias still remember going in the Dauntless cafeteria for the first time, being introduced to all the extravagant food that his Abnegation lifestyle barred him from.

That was nothing compared to what was brought in. Cowards brought in huge platters of meat and even full animals, minus the heads of some poultry. They had large glass tankards to drink from, with barrels of what looked like drink brought in. Their hosts took out their knives the size of daggers and plunged them into the flesh. Tobias felt like he was back in the cafeteria again. These Gennai were just as loud as the Dauntless were, perhaps even louder. Carving off a leg from one of the animals brought in, Tobias bit into it.

He wished he hadn't been so eager.

The moment he sank his teeth in he dropped the leg and clutched his mouth. It felt like it was on fire. One of the Enas laughed.

"Isn't Dauntless food as spicy here?" He asked.

Tobias had had spicy food before, but it was nothing compared to the chicken leg that he had just took a bite out of. He was glad he wasn't the only one who reacted like that. His friends all cried out as they bit into their pieces of meat. The only one who had no reaction was Yamaru, who had carefully cut off a slice and put it in his mouth. He guessed that he was already prepared for the type of food they were being served. Thinking it wouldn't look good in front of the Gennai if he couldn't finish he fought through eating the hot leg, taking a sip from his tankard every time he swallowed. At least the beer was fine.

"So Tobias, tell us about any great feats you've accomplished!" One of the Enas asked.

"Come now, he's just a kid!" Said another, "He probably hasn't even had his second kid yet, let alone engaged in battle."

Tobias snorted into his tankard.

"I'm sorry. What was that?"

"Well I guessed from your age that you're too young to have fought in battles-"

"No, I mean about me having kids?"

"Well, again I assumed from your age that you must already be married and had your first kid, right? How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"So then I'm right, aren't I?"

Tobias had gone red. He remembered that Bry, despite being young, was also a husband and a father.

"Um, no, I'm not."

"NO?" The Enas looked shocked.

"Back home, people don't necessarily marry as young as they do here."

"Well how are you allowed to fight if you don't have anyone to carry your name? Why haven't you married yet?"

"My girlfriend died a year ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Did she at least die an honourable death?"

Tobias though of Tris being shot in the throat by David.

"She died saving our city, yes."

"She sounds like quite a girl."

"She was."

"But still it has only been a year. You're still a young man, plenty of time to get married and have kids!"

Marriage. It was something Tobias had never considered before, something he never had a chance to consider.

"But despite my young age, I have been engaged in war."

"Really?"

The Ena sounded both skeptical and impressed.

"Come on!" The young red-haired Ena who mocked him earlier laughed, "He's only nineteen! He's making it up!"

"No, I'm not."

"Well tell us, Tobias. Tell us about your feat."

And so Tobias told them, told them about how the Erudites from their city sought to overthrow the government, how they had corrupted the Dauntless leadership and sought to turn all the Dauntless into mindless drones, how he helped free them from the Dauntless leaders and Erudite control, how he later became a new leader of the Dauntless, how he led them against the Dauntless traitors and the Erudites, how the Erudites were defeated, how they learnt that their city was just an experiment, how they ventured out of the city and encountered the Bureau for Genetic Welfare, how they learnt about how they were responsible for what happened, and how Tobias helped with taking them down. As he talked, with Christina, Amar and George filling in some of the gaps, the Enas were hooked on every word.

"Well," Said Mike when Tobias had finished, sounding impressed, "You've cert tained us with your tale. Though it weakened near the end."

"Eh, I've heard better," Said another Ena.

Tobias did not think much of the Enas treating the worst time of his life as if he was telling a story.

"Why did some Dauntless join the leaders afterwards?"

Everyone looked at the person who was talking. It was the sombre teenager Tobias noticed earlier.

"I'm sorry?" Tobias asked.

"Why did some Dauntless willingly join the leaders after they were being controlled? Because if it was me, and I was made a slave and forced to do things against my will the last thing I would want to do after gaining my freedom is join up with my enslavers."

Tobias had opened his mouth to answer before considering the question. The kid brought up a good point. Why did so many Dauntless side with the leaders after being controlled by them?

"I guess they just wanted to continue inflicting violence and had no problem with being made to kill innocent Abnegation members, or they thought it was better to side with the leadership."

"Doesn't make sense if you ask me," The boy shrugged.

"I think Jonny has a point," The red-haired Ena said, "It's a plot hole in your story."

"I'm sorry, story?"

"Come on, you can't possibly expect us to believe that you, an eighteen year-old, actually went through all that? Not to mention other teens as well?"

"Are you calling me a liar?" Tobias had shot up from his seat, "Are you saying that what I just described never happened? That my friends didn't die before my eyes, that the girl I love didn't die?"

"I'm just saying that there are holes in your story," The Ena simply told him.

"Hey, why don't you shut your mouth?" Christina told him.

"How dare you speak to an Ena like that, Epta!" He shouted.

"I'm not an Epta! I was there, Tobias was telling the truth! And I'm done giving respect to who don't deserve it!"

"That's enough!" Mike shouted when the young Ena sat up, "You must forgive Bry. He's quite hot headed."

"Bry? Wait."

Tobias looked at him.

"Your name is Bry?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Nothing. It's just I knew a Bry. On my way here."

"Yeah well it's a common name," Mike explained, "Loads of Gennai share the same name. Nearly half of us here at this table have the same name as at least someone else, including six Lees and five Teqs, as well as two Brys! But you know I've never heard of Tobias. What are the deeds of your namesake?"

"My what?"

"Well you must all have been named after Heroes of Old. I mean George is a given. Even Eric. But I don't think I've ever heard of Tobias, Christina or Amar."

"Amar does exist in this city," Yamaru told him, "Although it's quite a rare name. As for Christina and Tobias, you might be more familiar with their variants here, Chris and Tobe."

"Oh of course! I thought it sounded familiar! You know I thought your name sounded too long. Mind if we call you Tobe from now on?"

Tobe? That sounded worse than Toby!

"If my name is too long for you to say," Said Tobias, "Then you can always call me by my nickname I was known back with the Dauntless."

"A nickname? What was that?"

Well it was time to see how they would react at the number of fears he's got.

"Four."

"Four, like the number?" Bry Ena laughed, "What, were One, Two and Three taken?"

"I was called Four, because I only have four fears."

There was clatter at the desk.

"That's a seri claim to make," Mike told him.

"It's true," Amar backed up, "I was Tobias' instructor when he was going through Initi- I mean Graduation."

"His what?"

"His teacher. I saw it myself that he only has four fears."

The Enas looked at him.

"Are you willing to prove this?" Mike asked.

Tobias nodded. To win these people over he needed to prove that he was worthy of being heard.

"Very well. We will test you at some point in the future."

Later the Enas turned their attention to Yamaru, and were especially interested in all he had to tell them about the advanced technology he knew, particularly that designed for warfare. They had little interest in the others, especially George and Amar. It was likely because they saw George as a mere common ochirath not worth their time and Amar as the equivalent of their rival Dios. After finishing the plates and platters were taken away by the Cowards.

"So what's for dessert?" Christina asked.

There was clatter from the table. The Enas stared at her. Tobias could tell from their reaction (As well as Yamaru placing his hand on his forehead and shaking his head) that Christina had said the wrong thing somehow.

"Dessert?" Mike asked incredulously, "You want dessert?"

"Well," Christina went red, "It is traditional to have dessert after the main course."

The Enas were silent.

"Oh of course! Dessert, how silly of us to forget!" Said Mike, "What would you like? Cake? Ice-cream? With lots of cream and a cherry on top?"

Christina didn't say anything. The Enas roared with laughter.

"You must forgive her," Yamaru said, "Dauntless cuisine is quite different compared to what you have here. It's quite common for them to have food unlike the other races like muffins and chocolate cake-"

"Chocolate cake?" Bry Ena shouted with disbelief, "What kind of Brave eat cake? Why would you want to eat cake? It fattens you up and rots your teeth!"

"Oh I don't know," Said another Ena, "I once tried Chocolate Cake when I was in Eirinikopolis recent and it wasn't exact the most pleasant thing to taste, so I asked for seconds."

"You ate cake?" Another Ena asked, as if eating cake was the most shocking thing to do.

"I lost a bet," The Ena admitted.

"Life at the compound was so vigorous that it allowed you to eat food you enjoy without putting on weight," Amar explained.

"And what kind of Brave go about their way to enjoy food?" Bry asked.

"Wait, you don't enjoy food?" Christina asked, "Then what was all this?"

She gestured at the table.

"Gennai don't eat food to enjoy like Eirins," Bry told her, "We eat to show our gusto and we drink to test our stam."

"Any way," Said Mike, "You are free to explore the city, as long as you remain within the limits and don't enter any private places. I also suggest that you take a look at our museums to see our accomps. You are also vited to join us at the Arena tonight."

An idea came to Tobias.

"Can we invite guests?" He asked.

Mike looked at him.

"You may. Who do you have in mind?"

"Just someone I ran into on my way here."

"You could have warned us that mentioning desert would make us look bad!" Christina said to Yamaru after lunch.

"I could have done."

He smiled.

"But it was much more amusing to see you embarrass yourselves."


	16. A Twist Of Fate

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

Tobias saw the teenager who asked questions about his experience walking down the corridor. He ran up to him.

"Er, hi. Jonny, is it?"

The teen seemed surprised that Tobias was talking to him.

"Yeah. Sorry about before. I mean, I'm not sorry, your-"

"I was wondering if I could ask a favour."

"- A favour? What is it?"

"There's a place in the city that I want to get to, but it's too far from here by foot. I take it you can ride a bike?"

"Well yeah."

"So I was wondering if you can give me a lift."

"Why are you asking me?"

"I could have asked anyone. You're just the first person I saw."

"Well, I'm supposed to be getting back to school."

He smiled.

"Then again an old Gennai saying is that rules are meant to be broken."

* * *

Tobias let the others know that he shouldn't be gone for too long. It took him and Jonny about twenty minutes to get to the large house where Lyta lived. It looked quite nice a place. And certainly looked more like it was meant to be a home. He got off the bike.

"Wait here," Tobias told Jonny, "I shouldn't be gone too long."

Walking up the path, he knocked on the door. A coward opened it. She looked up. Tobias backed away. This was the first time he had clearly seen a coward's face.

When Lyta told him they were branded, he didn't think she meant it literally.

On the woman's face, curved the letter c.

C for coward.

"Yes?" She asked meekly.

"Er, hi. I'm looking for Lyta Underwood?"

"Come this way."

Tobias followed her in.

"Who is it, Crawford?"

Lyta walked in the hallway. She was wearing red trousers and a loose red t-shirt, much different from the tight clothing she wore before.

"If it's another porter then-"

When she caught sight of him, she froze.

"My Bravest!"

At once she knelt, beating her left side of the chest with her fist.

"You honour me and my home with your presence."

"Please don't do that, Lyta," Tobias said painfully, trying to pick her up. He much preferred her before he told her he got top place.

"That will be all, Crawford," Lyta told her servant.

"Yes, my Brave," The woman bowed her head towards her. She then turned to Tobias.

"My Bravest."

She bowed lower, before leaving the room.

"I - I'm sorry - Tobias," She said with great difficulty, "It's just that I grew up being taught to respect the firsts, the bravest of the brave, that they are better than us."

Tobias wanted to tell her that he wasn't better than her, when he heard screaming. A little girl of four had run into the room, being chased by a toddler wielding a sort of toy gun, shooting foam pellets.

"Mommy, Mommy!" The girl shouted, "Flash keeps shooting at me!"

"Well you just find a weapon and shoot back at him, dear," Lyta told her.

Tobias had gone red. Lyta was a mother? Something dropped in him. At once the two children stopped their game when they saw Tobias. They stared at him.

"Who's this, Mommy?" The girl asked.

"This is Tobias. He's a first. Show respect."

The girl knelt.

"Hello, my Bravest," The girl greeted in Gennai fashion.

The little boy, however, just continued to stare at him.

"Why are you wearing black?" He asked.

"Flash!" Lyta shouted, smacking him on the wrist, "That was rude!"

Tobias felt his own wrist burn.

The little boy's eyes started to water. His lower lip quivered, before he burst into tears.

"Don't cry, Flash. Gennai don't cry. Now say sorry to Tobias."

The boy looked at him.

"I'm sorry, Tobias."

"Say sorry to him properly."

The little boy knelt down.

"I'm sorry my bravest."

"It's just one knee, Flash. Crawford!"

The coward returned.

"Could you take the kids to the other room while I talk to Tobias?"

"Yes, my Brave," She nodded.

"Now you two don't give her any trouble!" Lyta warned them.

The coward took the children away.

"Now then-"

Lyta turned her attention back to Tobias. Her smile faded.

"What?"

"Did you really have to do that?" Tobias asked.

"Do what?" Lyta asked, puzzled.

"Smack him."

"Tobias, he was dissing you!"

"He was asking a valid question, and he's only little!"

"Well he's got to learn at some point. Don't the Dauntless discipline their children?"

Tobias had no idea about the child rearing techniques Dauntless used.

"Oh I was. My dad often disciplined me."

"There you see."

"He was quite fond of using his belt."

"Wait what? Oh. Oh no, you mustn't think of me like that! I would never go that far, I love my kids! I haven't seen them in months. It's a con of work."

"Work? Wait. You have a job as well as fighting?"

"Of course I do. When everyone's a soldier but not every job is suited for cowards Raths double as something else."

"But how does it work? I mean, how can you be expected to fight in a war while also going to work?"

"Well we don't spend all of our time on the frontline! I know we Gennai are supposed to love war but if we did that it would drive us mad!"

"So how much time do you spend?"

"Ten days a month is the req, and as long as you spend the rest of the month making time for exercise and keeping your skills sharp that's fine. But because my job reqs me to be in the city for months it means I have to spend longer on the frontline compared to everyone else."

"So what kind of jobs do people do?"

"Well most are farmers, or miners. Mining is held in higher regard, but the best jobs are cops, fire fighters, or daredevils. Something that involves bravery home as well as abroad."

"And what do you do?"

"Me? I'm an actress."

"I don't know what that means."

"Wait, seri? You don't know what an actress is? Actor? TV? Movie? Play? Theatre?"

Tobias shook his head to every word.

"The guide who showed us around pointed out a theatre, but I don't know what that is."

Lyta nodded.

"Ok. Hold on. Come with me."

Tobias followed her into a living room. Going to the shelf, she took something out.

"Some people think me vain holding onto these, but I keep them as a record of achieves."

Tobias looked at it. It was a thin, plastic box. On it was a photo. There were also words at the top that said 'A Twist of Fate'. The photo was of Lyta resting her head against that of a young man.

"Wait, is that Bry?"

Lyta nodded.

"It's how I first met him."

Opening the box, revealing a disc, she took it out and walked to a screen standing at the far end of the room and placed it in below. She turned it on.

"Do you want anything? Popcorn, drinks?"

"No thank you."

Tobias didn't know what popcorn was, but it sounded like some sort of food, but he wasn't hungry anyway.

"Sit down."

Tobias sat down on the couch. Lyta planted herself next to him. Moments later an image appeared of Lyta lying on grass. He could hear her talking, but her lips weren't moving, talking about telling sad stories. It was like watching a recording of someone, except it was a combination of different recordings from different cameras from different times, yet despite being disparate they came together to tell something cohesive. It seemed to be about Lyta, yet she was never called Lyta. She was called Kat, and the recordings told of her as a sickly sixteen year-old (Despite the fact that she looked the same age as she was now). At a support group, she meets Bry, yet here he was called Scott, who had his arm amputated (Even though he had all limbs at death). He watched how they got along, and formed a romance (Even though Lyta told that they were only friends). The two apparent teens at one point expressed their concern about the future, given that their conditions meant that they couldn't fight in the war and barred them from most work expected from citizens, and that no one would blame them for failing graduation when it comes, but 'Scott' is insistent that he won't fail, and expresses his dreams of being something called a comic book artist. 'Kat' is not so sure about what she would do. Later after it seemed that she was dying, it would turn out that Scott was the one actually dying, but rather die in a bed wants to have a heroic death. Before carrying out his plan, Kat and Scott's deaf best friend Joe held a fake funeral for him, where they spoke their eulogies for him to an audience of empty chairs while he laid on a table behind them with his eyes closed, clearly playing the role of his soon to be deceased body. For a moment he saw Bry's pale, bloodied half naked body lying there instead of the more healthy looking clothed form here. Joe spoke first.

"Scott Firer was an egotistical bastard," he opened with. It was an odd way to start a eulogy, especially for someone who was apparently his best friend. It reminded him of Christina's eulogy. He went on insulting him, and when he seemed to run out of things to say he said that he would forgive him, for his brave heart and how tragic his life was cut to Eighteen ('Seventeen' 'Scott' whispered, even though he couldn't hear him).

After sitting down it became 'Kat's' turn.

"Scott Firer was the great love of my life," Kat began, "Ours was an epic love story, and I won't be able to get through it without dissolving into a puddle."

Suddenly Tobias saw Tris standing there instead of Lyta, or 'Kat' saying this, and imagined his body laying on the table.

"Like all real love stories, ours is one that will die with us, my hoped regret he'd that eulogI'll never get to spend my life with her."

And now he saw himself standing, and Tris laying there, and he was back at the compound, except he was watching the whole thing as an outsider, except it was just him, Tris, and Christina. He walked towards to Tris' body yet again, who looked more beautiful than she did when she was alive. He kissed her, and she woke up.

Tobias gripped the couch. Getting up, he walked away. He rested his hand against the wall.

"Tobias?"

Lyta said to him.

"Tobias, what's wrong?"

Tobias wiped his eyes.

"Sorry," He turned to look at her, "It just brought up bad memories-"

He stopped. He could see Lyta had been crying too.

"Yeah, it's hard to watch now after what happened."

"I don't understand. What was that? What did I just watch? Why did you and Bry have different names? Why were you claiming to be teenagers, and how did they record you without you noticing? I worked in security, so I know there's no way you couldn't have noticed - Oh. OH."

Tobias understood. He pointed at the screen.

"None of that was real."

Lyta smiled as she nodded.

"That was just a story you were acting out."

Oh. THAT'S why she's called an actress!

"Spot on. You have no idea how hard it was trying to explain to my girl that what she sees of me in those movies isn't real. Flash still thinks it is."

"And that's a form of entertainment here?"

"Well yeah. Don't you have something similar?"

Tobias shook his head.

"No. Dauntless entertainment is more physical. Or involves gambling."

"Well it's the same here. Except we have other ways of taining ourselves."

"Well, I know why that never caught on."

"Why not?"

"Dauntless lived underground, so there was limited access to electricity. Even lighting was by lanterns."

And Abnegation would see entertainment as time better used to help and think of helping others.

"Seri? Wow, I can't magine living under ground all my life, with no access to things like elect or my cell."

"Your what?"

"This."

Lyta took something out of her pocket. It was a thin device.

"It helps you contact other people."

Tobias was amazed at how the Gennai were more reliant on technology than the Dauntless. True they weren't as extreme as Abnegation. No one was as extreme as Abnegation, but the Dauntless were rather spartan when it came to luxuries, they didn't themselves surround themselves with technological goods like Erudites. Or maybe that was more him, someone who had grown up Abnegation. Tobias realised something.

"Everyone in your squad, they're all actors, aren't they?"

"Smart kid," Lyta smiled.

Tobias felt a little stung when she said that.

"And that's why it was important that you stay alive, and avoid fighting as much as you could? Because I'm guessing you're more profitable alive. Is it also a prerequisite that actors be good looking?"

"Well people do like that in their actors, yes."

"But what if someone is a better actor yet less attractive?"

"Handsomeness and beauty are more important."

"So movies are a big form of entertainment?"

"Oh yeah! There's this big studio nearby where they're made!"

"Huh. I wonder why it was never pointed out to us when we were being driven around the city before."

"Well the crats don't think much of going to the movies, they think of it as rath tainment. Going to the theatre is a more soph tainment for them, although I think it's because they don't have a cine. "

For a moment they were silent.

"So what did you think of the movie?"

Tobias thought of what he had just seen. 'Kat' and 'Scott' seemed to get along with each other quite well, even if she was annoyed with him at first. His relationship with Tris was not so smooth in the beginning. And now that he thought of it, was it ever smooth, even near the end?

"It was good, although it was hard taking it seriously as a teen romance when you both were clearly adults."

Lyta laughed.

"Yeah! We have a tend of casting people in their twenties to play teens."

Tobias didn't understand this.

"Why? It doesn't make sense to have characters played by people the wrong age."

"I guess it's the same reason why it's only attract people who are cast in movies."

Tobias understood. It wasn't about reality, it was presenting a more attractive world where people were prettier and teenagehood was a time when you were in your prime, rather than the transition between child and adulthood it really was. He imagined his experiences, or rather Tris and her group's experiences being made into a movie, with all of those sixteen year-olds being played by twenty year-olds.

"That guy's eulogy. It was kinda offensive. Not really something you'd expect coming from someone who was supposedly a best friend."

"Yeah," Lyta laughed, "Not the most trad euloge! But it was just his way of showing his love for his friend."

"By being insulting?"

"By just being himself, and honest."

"So, your son's name is Flash."

"Yes, but I named him long before I met that Flash before you say any thing."

"And is their father around?"

Lyta's smile vanished.

"No. He died a couple years back."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."

Tobias did feel genuinely sorry, but some part of him felt glad as well. And that sense of gladness made him feel really guilty and ashamed.

"How did he die?"

"It was during when we were first deployed. An Andy shot him in the chest when we were fighting. That's really all there is to it. Thankfully the kids were too young to member."

"Thankfully?" Tobias didn't see what was thankful about the situation at all.

"Well yeah! Better to not have known your parent than being too young to deal with the loss."

"I am sorry, though. I know it's hard losing someone you love."

"I didn't actually love Joe. Don't get me wrong, I knew him all my life and we were friends, acquaints at least, and his death was a great impact on me and I did grieve for him, but I wasn't in love with him."

"Then why did you marry him?"

"Well, when you're pressured to get married straight after finishing the Agoge, well, there wasn't really anyone else avail at the time."

"So, what will happen to Flash because Bry- well-"

"Oh, they won't be happy with him. Chances are he'll be stripped of his command and sent to an easy post, like Sharma. People used to be sent to Eirinikopolis, but now that place is something of a war zone."

"Really?"

"Yeah, someone's organed a resistance there. There's been ongoing fighting for the past four years."

"So, did you see Bry's wife? If you mind me asking."

"Well I went to his house, to deliver the news. My knocks on the door were met with cries of 'Daddy daddy daddy daddy!', so that was upsetting. It was even worse when I told them we didn't even have a body to bring home. You know, you are an odd guy, Tobias."

"You've said that before."

"But you are! I don't mean that as a bad thing, it's just that brave wouldn't ever ask questions like yours. But I like it. The fact that you ask these sort of questions, it shows you care."

Tobias was stunned when she said this, as asking questions was supposed to go against the way of Abnegation, the faction that traditionally cared.


	17. The Origin of The War

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

"Why are you here, Tobias?"

Tobias remembered the reason he had come over.

"Oh! I've been invited to join the Enas to something called the Arena tonight, and they said I could bring a guest."

"So you wanted to take me as a guest?"

"Yes."

"But why?"

Tobias struggled with an answer.

"Well...you were kind to me in your squad."

"I almost blew your brains out when we first met!"

"An easy mistake. I looked like one of the enemy."

"Even so, I shouldn't have been prepared to kill someone unarmed."

"So, is that a no?"

"Hmm. The Cratic Arena. The papers would go mad about that. Prob cover what I did to the porter this morning."

"I'm sorry, a porter?"

"You know. Someone who gathers news to tell?"

"Oh, you mean a reporter!"

Sometimes it was very hard to understand these Gennai.

"If you say so," She shrugged.

"Why, what did you do to him?"

"Well, he came by asking about what had happened to Bry, and event his questions got so pers and offen that I ended up punching him in the face. I think I broke his nose."

"That's probably not going to go down well."

Tobias knew that it was never a good idea to upset a reporter.

"Hey, you would have done the same thing if he asked you what he asked me! So yeah. I think I will come. What time is it?"

"Time?"

Tobias suddenly had a horrible thought.

"Wait, what's the time now?"

He looked at the clock on the wall. Unless Gennai timekeeping was drastically different from what he knew, he had been here for almost two hours. He swore.

"I told everyone I wouldn't be here for too long!"

He ran outside, hoping beyond hope that his ride would still be here. The drive was empty. He swore again, this time louder. He knew there was no chance that he would be waiting for him for two hours.

"Tobias, it's okay," Lyta told him, "I can give you a ride back! Though I won't be allowed to enter the Area without a Crat's permission-"

Tobias saw Jonny riding back to them.

"Jonny, I'm so sorry!" He apologised, walking to him, "I completely lost track of time-"

"Hey, it's cool, Tobe!" Jonny replied, "I waited for about fifteen min when it looked like you weren't leaving anytime soon, so I headed back to school, though I just got out, wanting to see if you were still here-"

He trailed off when he noticed Lyta.

"You're- you're Lyta Underwood!"

She smiled.

"Sure am," She nodded.

"This – THIS IS YOUR HOUSE? Toby, when and where did you meet Lyta Underwood?"

"She tried to kill me on my way here."

Jonny looked like he didn't know if Tobias was joking.

"Well it starts at Eight, so see you at half Seven?"

"I'll be parked near the border of the Area, waiting for you," Lyta told him.

Jonny had gone red.

"Um. I loved you in 'The Ultimate Then'!"

Lyta smiled at him.

"You're sweet."

"He's an Ena just so you know," Tobias whispered to her while Jonny got the bike ready.

"Well, not a real one. You're not a true member of the Enas unless you've achieved first place in the Agoge."

Tobias understood. It was like how faction children were not real members of their faction (or any) until they passed Initiation.

"So where to, Tobe?" Jonny asked as they drove down the road.

"The Dios' Mansion. And please don't call me Tobe."

"Toby?"

"No."

He got enough of that from Yamaru.

"So, just Tobias?"

"Or Four."

"Yeah, that remains to be seen."

* * *

When they got there, Tobias quickly thanked the boy before rushing through the doors.

"Ah, Toby, there you are!" Yamaru had appeared, "I was wondering where you ended up."

"Yeah, sorry, I lost track of time!"

They went to the lift. Yamaru pressed the button to open the doors and walked in. Tobias followed him.

"What are you doing?" Yamaru asked.

"Using the lift?"

"Gennai don't use the lift. Only Cowards do."

Dauntless generally didn't use lifts either, aside from to get to certain areas in the compound, but he thought he needed to reach his friends as quickly as possible.

"But you are!"

Yamaru smiled.

"Yes, but I'm not brave."

And the doors closed.

Running up the steps, Tobias ran down the corridor containing the rooms of his friends. He saw that they had all gathered outside. They turned to look at him. Christina walked towards him.

"You. YOU BASTARD!"

Raising her hand she smacked Tobias across the face.

"Christina, I'm sorry!"

"Not too long, you said! Shouldn't be gone for too long, you said! Do you have any idea what I've been through the past two hours, thinking what had happened to you? Do you know what was going through my mind when I saw that grave, thinking that you might be under it?"

She was in tears.

"Thinking that I had lost another friend?"

"Christina, I'm sorry, I lost track of time!"

"Well."

She put her hands on her hips.

"Could you at least tell us what you were so caught up in to cause your friends to think you were dead?"

"I was watching a movie."

"A what?"

"A movie. It's a form of entertainment here, basically it's acting out a story with people playing the characters."

"Oh yeah, back at the Bureau we watched those," Amar explained, "Every Friday night was movie night, where we all saw old movies from before the Purity Wars."

"I take it Candor didn't have anything similar?" Tobias asked Christina.

"So you said it's people acting out a story?"

Tobias nodded.

"So it was people acting like who they weren't reenacting an event that never happened?"

Tobias nodded again.

"Yeah, no, of course not. Besides, Candor didn't indulge in fiction, they saw it as another form of lying."

"Oh come on, Christina, there's a difference between pretending to tell the truth and something that you know isn't true, don't you think that's a bit extreme?"

"Four, I don't know if you realized this, but all of the factions were pretty extreme, don't you think?"

"Which movie were you watching?" Yamaru asked.

"It was called 'A Twist of Fate'."

"Oh that one! Yes I watched that. I'm not generally a fan of romance films but that one I heard was really good."

Tobias looked at him.

"When, where and how did you see it?"

"Oh, I have my ways."

"I would like to know more about these ways of yours!"

"Fine, I was able to get a copy of it before the Bureau collapsed."

"I thought you no longer worked for the Bureau by the time we – um-"

"Took it out? No, but I was able to get in touch with one of the agents here, who was able to send me a digital copy. I've always been interested in Gennai films. Well anyway, now that you're back, there's still some time to spend before the museums close-"

"Now hold on, Mr Yamaru, we didn't come here to sight see, we came here to stop a war!" Tobias snapped, having lost patience, "You said to leave all the talking to you, but not once at lunch did you ever even mention peace!"

"Yes well, it's going to take some time. Trying to convince the Gennai to consider peace is like convincing a dog to give up meat and eat vegetables instead."

"You said that the Amity of this place, the Eirinikons, have already tried to bring peace?"

"Not tried. Still trying, ever since the war began."

"And you think we can succeed where they failed?"

"Not we. You."

"Why me? Why am I so important?"

"I think you know why."

"Because I was both Abnegation and Dauntless. Selfless and brave, who are the types fighting this war. I can appeal to both of them because I understand both of them."

"Yes."

"I thought so too, but these Gennai are so different from the Dauntless."

"True, there are external differences, but at heart they're still brave."

"Hmph," Groaned Amar.

"What's wrong, Amar?" Tobias asked.

"It's these pig-headed Gennai bastards! You heard the way they were talking! What? You eat chocolate cake and muffins? Real brave don't eat cake and muffins! Real brave wear red and orange, not black! Who are they to tell us what is brave? I haven't gone around pointing out they're wearing Amity colors!"

Tobias understood Amar's anger. Out of everyone here who was Dauntless, he was the only one who was raised Dauntless, who had his faction's way of living ingrained in him far more than anyone here, so to have aspects of his Dauntless lifestyle mocked...

"Different people have different interpretations on how a brave person should act, or how a selfless person should behave," Yamaru explained, "And so, being isolated from one another have developed differently in each city. What? You didn't actually think that all of the Brave in all of the experiments were identical to Dauntless, did you?"

Tobias kinda did. When he first heard of a Dauntless city, he imagined a city wide version of the compound; mostly underground, with only the leaders and those who worked for them above ground. It surprised him to see Dauntless not only living above but in housing he associated more with Abnegation. Then again, it was probably not practical for everyone to live underground if they all had a city to themselves.

"That being said, the Gennai here do have some similarities with another version of Brave in another city, called Detroit. Like them they also wore red as their faction color and rode around on motorbikes. They also used the trains at times although this was at night when it was supposed to be more dangerous. Those brave liked facing danger, at least that's what their faction encouraged."

"Exactly how many experiments have there been?" Tobias asked.

"At the same time? Oh as many as there are cities in the Midwest. But if we're talking about the major ones, including Chicago, there's about ten. What happened in one of those affected everywhere else, hence why the faction system became commonly used."

"To be honest," Said George, "It was surprising to learn that the Gennai deliberately prepare their food not to be enjoyed. Dauntless cuisine had always been one of the attractions! At least they got to eat hamburgers."

"Wait, you mean Erudite didn't?" Tobias stared at George, "I thought it was only Abnegation that had such restrictions on food."

"Really? You really saw a logic driven faction like Erudite eating something as unhealthy and with low nutritional value as hamburgers for lunch?"

"It's just that I remember last year, during Tris' and Christina' initiation, Will didn't act like he had never seen a burger before."

"Well he likely knew what a burger was, he just never tried one before in his life, unless Erudite has changed in that regard in the last twenty years since I left."

"No, they didn't," Christina said, "Will told me about how boring Erudite food could be. Everything had to have a nutritional and logical reason."

"Did the Candor not have burgers either?" Tobias asked.

"Of course we did! Mind you, though, you wouldn't have got any sauces to put on your burger."

"Why not?" Tobias asked, sounding surprised.

"Well, the idea was that you should take in food like you take in truth. No sugaring."

Tobias laughed.

"And I thought it was only Abnegation who ate plain food!"

He turned to Yamaru.

"Maybe if I understand more about how this war started, then I might have an idea how to bring peace."

"How the war started? Hmmmm, let's see. Well, it all goes back to when the cities were first forming, and had finished forming, at least a stable society. Once that happened, most of the cities, including Gennaiopolis and Andiopolis turned their attentions outward. Oh sure, jumping in and out of trains might have been enough to sate you Dauntless' lust for bravery, but the Gennai wanted more. They wanted foes to defeat, obstacles to overcome, so eventually, they ventured out to look for some. Initially what they found disappointed them, as the towns they came across weren't exactly built for battle, at least not in the same way as the Gennai were.

"Meanwhile in Andiopolis, one day an unknown Andion, we don't know who it was, suggested that they venture out into what was outside, helping anyone in need. His, or her, idea spread like wildfire, and soon Andions were exploring, seeing to help anyone. And around the point roughly between the two cities, they met, one seeking fights, the other seeing innocent people being attacked, and so they went to their aid. At first, the Andions were losing, but they adapted, and with help from the Exyps, they were able to turn the tide of the war, at least keep them in a stale mate."

"But why is the war mainly between them, what about the other cities?"

"Well, Eirinikopolis had no interest in exploring the outside world, thinking it would disrupt their peaceful society. The Timions had some people exploring, but it wasn't a huge issue. The Exyps were the only others interested in exploring the outside world to gain knowledge, but I'm sure you can guess that they're not exactly fighters."

"Wouldn't have fought selfless were fighters, either," Said Christina.

"And they weren't, not really, but they learnt, they adapted, with help from the Exyps."

"Exactly what kind of help did the Exyps give?"

"For one thing, the most advanced technological advances they have here. One of the things they did at the beginning was reform the army. Traditionally, as is still mostly the case now, Andions have no hierarchy, so when they initially fought, it was without anything like rankings or generals. However the Exyps managed to convince the Andions that the only way they could win was to restructure as a traditional army."

"So aren't the other cities involved in the war?"

"Well, Eirinikopolis was closest to Gennaiopolis, and on their side of the frontline, so they were conquered. Despite this they have tried to bring peace, whereas Timiopolis is on the other side and don't want to be conquered so they have supplied troops, but the bulk has been from Andiopolis."

"And how long has the war gone on for?"

"Let's see, it's probably about a century now. Give or take a decade."


	18. The Arena

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

A century. One hundred years. No wonder Flash was skeptical when Tobias said he could end the war. It was all he had ever known, what anyone alive had ever known. He might as well have claimed that he would stop the sun from rising! Wanting to understand more about the war, Tobias went to the museum for it. It didn't tell him much, just contained all the great victories and deaths of prominent Gennai soldiers. The particularly gruesome exhibition was the one containing the bodies of significant enemy combatants. It was hard to believe that these soldiers had been skinned and their organs replaced with stuffing. What was even worse was how they were displayed, ropes tied around their necks, hanging from the ceiling. When the museum closed, they later went to the hall of records, which again just contained all the victories and deaths, nothing that gave him an idea of how the war started or anything about how to stop it. The time drew close to go to the Arena, so Tobias walked towards where he was meeting Lyta. She was on her bike, wearing leather clothing, much tighter to what she had on before, that was more reminiscent of her soldier wear. After convincing the guard to let her pass, they drove towards the Arena. He saw his friends waiting for them outside. Tobias introduced Lyta to all of them. Whereas George and Amar politely shook Lyta's arm, he guessed out of respect for him, Christina however had her arms crossed.

"Oh, so you're the girl who almost killed an innocent man in cold blood?"

Lyta looked like she had been slapped, although Tobias knew from experience that her hand would have probably hurt less.

"Christina!" Tobias snapped.

"You know, back where we're from, brave don't kill those who can't defend themselves."

"Christina, that's enough!"

That seemed to be enough to silence her. And to be fair, Dauntless were likely to attack someone even when they couldn't fight back as well. At least the Dauntless of his day.

"So you're Lyta Underwood?"

It was Yamaru who addressed her, stretching out his hand.

"It's an honor to meet you in person."

Lyta tried to take his arm.

"Oh no," He withdrew, "I'm afraid I don't do that sort of handshake. This-"

He took her hand and shook.

"Is how we shake where I come from."

"Oh. Okay, Mr-"

"Yamaru. Eric Yamaru, and I must say I was impressed with your performance in 'A Twist Of Fate'."

"Really?" Lyta raised an eyebrow, "Cos people didn't think much of that film."

"True, Teenage romances aren't exactly held in the highest regard. Not enough explosions. But still, with a different audience I think you would have found a better reception."

"Oh. Thank you."

"You know, I see what you see in her," Christina whispered to Tobias.

"You do?" He whispered back.

"Oh yeah! Young Blond, definitely your type. Four."

She leaned closer.

"She's not Tris."

"You don't think I know that?"

At that point they were greeted by Mike, who although turned his nose at Lyta, accepted her as Tobias' guest anyway. They followed him to where Enas were entering. They later took their seats with the Enas near at the top of the Arena, whose floor was covered in grass. Looking around, he saw distinct groups in blocks wearing similar clothing, chatting furiously with each other but basically ignoring those in a different style (unless it was to mock them from the right edge). Tobias understood the arrangement. He had grown up in it, where different groups, whose membership you had to prove you belonged to, were distinguished by different clothing and kept to themselves, only interacting with others usually in an aggressive manner. It was bizarre to see factions within a faction. Yet whereas the factions back home were equal, there was a clear hierarchy here. And from looking around that those sitting in the upper seats had more exposed skin compared to those below, he guessed that the higher the Arithmocratic family, the more skin they were allowed to bear to display tattoos.

While they waited, people walked around selling food and drink, giving out pamphlets and asking people to place bets. Tobias had no idea what was going to happen in an Arena, but it sounded like fights were involved. He opened the pamphlet. It gave a time table of the events. The first few matches seemed to be against people who weren't using their real names. Looking down he saw what was later.

"You have public executions?" He asked Lyta.

"Well yeah. Don't you?"

He heard a gate open. Something ran on the floor. Tobias couldn't believe what he was seeing. It looked like a cat, only much larger, as large as a human. When it let out a sound, it was like some kind of machine. It was as if someone had taken an image of a cat and enlarged it. It couldn't be real.

"What's wrong?" Lyta asked, "You've never seen a cougar before?"

Cougar? Tobias recognized the name. That's when he realized. Big cat. This was a big cat! He remembered seeing pictures of one at school, but they were supposed to be extinct.

For the first half hour they watched animals fight, animals that Tobias thought long extinct and those he didn't even imagined existed, including bears (He guessed that Lyta wasn't joking or lying about her Initiation experience after all!), wild dogs and giant lizards with with long snouts. Out of all of these matches the cougar emerged victorious. The announcer, who had been introducing each fight, returned.

"Yeah it's clear that nothing can beat this vicious Cougar," He said through a microphone, "So does our next fighter stand any chance? Please welcome - THE SAVAGE - BEAST TAMER!"

A man now walked in the Arena. Short yet muscular, he had long, unkempt hair and beard, and his nails were as sharp as the cougar he was facing. All he wore was a yellow loincloth.

"He's wearing yellow," Tobias remarked.

"Yeah?" Said Lyta, as if there was nothing wrong with that.

"Isn't that the color worn only by cowards?"

"Well yeah."

"But he hasn't been branded."

"Well no, so he was born into Cowardice."

"Wait a minute! You can be born into cowardice, and not have a way out?"

Being deemed a coward for failing Initiation was one thing, but being born in that position when you could be braver than your parents?

"Don't be so judgmental, Toby," Yamaru whispered, "Exactly how many Factionless children did Chicago allow to attend the choosing ceremony?"

Factionless children? Tobias had never considered it, yet they must have existed, some Factionless getting together and starting families. Yet he knew that even if Factionless children did exist, they wouldn't have been allowed to attend the choosing ceremony, which was only for those from Factions.

The fighter called the Beast Tamer roared at the audience, baring his teeth, which were sharpened. The crowd cheered. When the Announcer left, and the unseen bell rang, the Tamer faced the cougar. Both circled each other, the Tamer's hands raised, his fingers poised. The Cougar screeched as it lunged at him, but the Tamer backed away, his hands falling to the ground. The Cougar continued to lunge, but the Tamer kept his distance, as they danced in circles around the Arena floor. At times the Cougar swiped, but the Tamer dodged or blocked the blows. The Tamer at times scratched at the cougar, hitting it. Eventually seeing his chance, the Tamer pounced on the Cougar, wrestling it to the ground. The cougar swiped and bit as the two rolled, but the Tamer didn't let go, scratching and biting in turn. Pinning the Cougar to the ground, the big cat struggled, before stopping. The Tamer got up, as did the Cougar. The announcer returned to congratulate the Beast Tamer. Everyone cheered, as the victor roared again at the audience, leaving the floor along with his opponent.

For someone called a coward, he expressed bravery here.

Tobias looked down at the pamphlet again, to see what was next. It was the event he was concerned about.

THE EXECUTION OF JOE COURTNEY.

A man walked on the floor. He wore a yellow t-shirt and trousers.

"He's wearing yellow too?" Tobias asked.

"Almost all crime is considered cowardly," Yamaru explained.

Following him was a rack of weapons. At the other end of the Arena appeared a woman. A scantily dressed woman, in a black dress with her breasts partially visible. She had long black hair, and black makeup. It reminded him of some of the Dauntless girls back in the day.

"Who's that?" Tobias asked Lyta.

"That's Death."

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, actually it's the executioner, but she plays the role of Death."

Tobias stared at the executioner.

"Death's a woman?"

"A very sexy woman," Lyta grinned, "Or man, depending on the sex of who's being executed."

"...What?"

Tobias had seen personifications of death before. Among the tattoos popular were those that depicted death with a skull, or as a skeleton, or hooded skeleton with a scythe. But an attractive individual?

"The Genna don't see death like you and I," Yamaru explained, "They 'treat death like a lover'."

"Joe Courtney."

Everyone could hear the executioner. She clearly must have a mic attached somewhere.

"You had been convicted of the deaths of many girls, and now today you shall die. Though you have the chance to restore your honor, you should know that no one can escape Death."

"Choose your weapons," The Announcer announced. The convict took a pair of swords, while the executioner took an axe as well as a sword.

"What kind of execution is this?" Tobias asked.

"Oh, the Gennai don't believe in executing someone on their knees with their hands tied," Yamaru told him, "They think it's more honorable to allow them to die standing with a weapon in their hand."

The bell rang. The convict roared as he charged at the executioner, swinging his weapons. 'Death' however was able to block the blows. As they clashed, the executioner was able to block every blow, she even evaded one swipe by arching backwards before coming back up again.

"What if the convict wins?" Tobias asked.

Lyta seemed puzzled by the question.

"The perp never wins."

"What, never?"

"Never."

The executioner managed to knock the convict's weapons away, leaving his torso open. She thrust her sword through his chest.

Tobias could imagine him gasping. The executioner withdrew her weapon. He dropped his, blood pouring from his mouth as well as his chest. The convict fell to his knees. The executioner circled around him.

"I told you, no one escapes death."

The convict fell backwards, but the executioner managed to catch him. She sat down, holding the still writhing man in her arms.

"Shh," She said to him, brushing the hair from his forehead, "You are all mine now."

She kissed him, her lips remaining on his until the convict stopped moving. The Executioner closed his eyes, and lowered him on the ground. She now laid on top of him, caressing his head.

"But at least now you have restore your honor."

She drew her hands down his body, smearing the blood all over.

"Covering the shameful yellow with red."

Getting up, she picked him up by the feet, and dragged the body through the entrance that she came from.

The next convict was to undergo the 'chopping of the hand'. Yamaru explained that that was the punishment meted out to thieves.

"Just for stealing something? Doesn't that seem a little...harsh?" Christina asked.

"Gennai punishments tend to be harsh, especially by your standards," Yamaru replied.

The convict came to the floor, faced by someone all dressed in red, even a mask, that Tobias guessed was the punisher. They engaged in a sword fight. Like executions, Yamaru explained that the Gennai found it more fitting for someone to fight rather than let the punishment happen. Tobias noticed that the convict was already missing a hand. As they fought, the punisher managed to move the sword away before cutting off the hand. The convict screamed in pain as he stared at his stump. As he writhed in pain, he tried to walk away before collapsing. Two people came over with a stretcher, placed him on and carried him out. Next came a person who was convicted of disobeying orders, to be punished by flogging ten times. Both the convict and the punishers carried whips. None of the blows ever reached the punisher, while his met the convict every single time, who at one point fell down, but picked themselves up again to continue. When he had been flogged ten times, he hobbled out. Tobias was disturbed over how the the audience got into what they were watching, cheering at the violence, the spilling of blood, even Lyta, whereas his own group looked aghast at what was happening (although Tobias noticed that Yamaru seemed to be enjoying the blood).

That was the end of the punishments. Next, Tobias checking the pamphlet, looked like fights between people, the first fight being 'Jax Mane versus Billy Kilmer'. Two men walked in the arena. One had blond, bushy hair while the other was a skinhead with a beard. The announcer gave each of them the microphone, through which they boasted how strong they were, insulting the other and describing what pain they would inflict. After that they took off their jackets and shirts. The bell rang. Both fighters raised their arms to shield their faces and torsos. They circled each other. Then they started punching each other, blocking some, connecting others. At one point Billy, the skinhead, fell to the ground, but Jax didn't take the opportunity to finish him off.

"Why has he stopped?" Tobias asked Lyta.

"What do you mean?"

"His opponent's down, so why doesn't he take to chance to finish him off?"

Lyta's mouth dropped.

"Tobias, you don't hit someone when they're down!"

"The Gennai don't fight like the Dauntless," Yamaru told him, "They considered attacking a foe who's unable to fight back, even for a moment, to be cowardly."

That was considered cowardly? Tobias knew that it was wrong, but these Gennai thought of such an action to be cowardice?

"You see, in this fight, they know they have their life on the line, and that every punch brings them closer to the end, and when that happens their fear may drive them to do whatever they can to defeat their opponent, to stay alive. But the Gennai are taught to never give in to fear, that their honour, which is built on their courage, is far more important than their life. So they'll only fight when their opponent is able to fight or defend against an attack, and they won't take any cheap shots."

Tobias felt ashamed. When Lyta told him before that Gennai do not accept surrender during the Agoge, he assumed that they were just as ruthless as the Dauntless, or at least as ruthless as they had become, yet a Dauntless would have continued attacking even when their opponent was down.

"Wait, what do you mean their life is on the line?"

"Oh, this is a potential fight to the death."

Tobias felt a chill.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it's a potential fight to the death. This fight could very well be either of their last."

Later on in the fight, Billy was knocked down again, and had problems getting up. A giant board on top of the Arena started a count down.

1

2

3

4

Billy managed to get up. Wiping the blood from his nose, they continued. Jax was knocked down, but he was able to get up quickly, but the second time he struggled.

1

2

3

4

Like Billy he was able to get up again. Billy went down but was able to get up at '4', but Tobias could tell he was struggling to remain conscious. Jax punched him in the face. This sent him falling backwards. Eyes closed, his chest was rising harshly as the board counted again.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A bell rang, and everyone cheered. Tobias could tell that Billy lost. Billy struggled to get up.

"Now let's see," Said the announcer, "Whether Billy Kilmer will live, or die."

The board now changed to an image of a soldier with a sword, then to a woman in black, who looked like the executioner from before.

"The soldier represents life," Yamaru explained, "Whereas the woman, as you can guess, represents death. Whether it rests on life or death is meant to be random."

"What do you mean meant to be random?"

"Well, it's actually rigged. Fighters rarely die, the Enas would prefer their soldiers to die in battle rather than the arena."

The board fell on the image of death.

"Of course sometimes."

Billy looked shocked, before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, standing up straight and staring at the crowd.

"The risk of death-"

Jax wrapped his arm around his opponent's neck.

"Needs to be reminded."

Tobias was to far to hear the sound, but he could imagine the loud CRACK, the life in his eyes vanishing, once staring with intent now looking at nothing. His body fell to the ground like a rag doll. Jax placed his foot on the body, and flexed his muscles to the cheering crowd. He was given back the mic.

"You'-"

Tobias could not take anymore. Standing up he tried to get away as far as possible.


	19. Different Cultures, Different Values

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

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Tobias had exited the Arena, his back to it. He could still hear the crowd cheering.

"Tobias, what's wrong?"

Tobias turned to face Lyta.

"That was sick. That was SICK!"

"What?"

"What kind of people treat human bodies like trophies? What kind of people take pleasure in violence against others, what kind of people kill their own kind?"

"What does that never happened back with the Dauntless?"

"No! Sure we had fights for entertainment, but no one ever killed anyone!"

Actually that wasn't entirely true. There were plenty of deaths, but they were always ruled as 'manslaughter', when fighters got carried away pummeling their opponents. The same thing happened in initiation as well. The group he trained last year had no idea who brutal it was in the past. Initiates had suffered worst injuries, and there had even been deaths. There were also some professional fighters who, approaching the age whether you would become factionless or kill yourself, prefer to make their death a spectacle, doing what they had always done, rather than doing it privately. A sort of assisted suicide.

"Well I'm sorry if what we have here is different from what you're used to! But those people knew what they were getting into, they knew the risks!"

"And the criminals?"

"The what?"

"The criminals , the convicts! the perps!"

"They were not good people! It's like you said, they were criminals! They were cowards!"

Tobias calmed down. He stared at Lyta. He knew deep down that she was a good person. It was not her fault that she grew up in a society that revels in bloodshed.

"You're right, I'm sorry. It's just that your society is very different from what I knew."

They walked around the Arena.

"So do you tend to go to things like that?" Tobias asked.

"Oh yeah, all the time! It's a pop fam outing! Mind you, the Cosum is better!"

"The what?"

"The Cosum! It's an arena for raths! Much bigger, but pretty much the same kind of events, although the crats' are supposed to be better! So it was nice being at a crat arena, even if it was smaller! Also it's amusing to think that they're using an enlarged football field! Who's Tris?"

Tobias looked at her.

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said that!"

"Where did you hear that name?"

"It's just when you were asleep, when I was guarding you, you kept muttering 'Tris'. 'Tris'."

Tobias felt like he had been seen naked.

"Tris was the love of my life."

"Oh. I see."

For some reason Lyta sounded disappointed.

"I was an instructor, a teacher, during her Initiation last year."

"Her? Wait, you mean Tris was- oh!"

Lyta had gone red.

"I am so sorry!"

Tobias didn't understand.

"What for?"

"It's just that - well - I thought Tris was a guy!"

"WHAT? Why would you think that?"

"Well, Tris is a guy's name here!"

"So wait a minute! You thought I was – oh. Oh no!"

Tobias laughed.

"No I definitely don't swing that way!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, Amar can vouch for me! Why, does that matter to you?"

"No!" Lyta had gone red again, "Of course not! So you were in a relationship with one of your students? I didn't take you for the scandal type!"

"Yeah, well, we tried to ignore our feelings, but we couldn't help it. Eventually we gave in."

"When you say 'was' the love of your life?"

"She's dead now. Tris died last year."

"Oh Tobias, I'm so sorry. What was Tris like?"

"Brave, smart, fearless, selfless. Kinda like you."

"Like me?"

"Well, not as pretty."

"So, you think I'm pretty?"

"Well yes, obviously. But her looks didn't matter to me. What mattered to me was who she was, and that was someone who was willing to stand up for those who couldn't stand up for themselves, who couldn't tolerate people oppressing or mistreating others."

"Well, if you ask me she sounds a bit like Kat!"

"-The character you were playing in that movie?"

"What? No, the Hero of Old Kat!"

"Who exactly are these Heroes of Old?"

"You really don't know anything about the heroes of the old age?"

Tobias shook his head.

"No. Our history of the world before the wars is kinda patchy."

"Well the Heroes of Old are basically that, the heroes of the old age, anyone famous for their courage!"

"And this Kat is one of them?"

"Well yes, although I guess you could say she was one of the latest ones, after the wars, but before the fence was put up!"

"Tell me about her," Tobias asked, "Tell me about this Kat."

"Well. Okay.

After the wars that destroyed the old world, but before the fence was set up, a tyrannical gov took the place of what was the United States of america! People rebelled against this gov, but they lost! As pun, every year each district had to give up two children, one boy, one girl, between the ages of 12 and 18, to fight to the death for the amuse of the gov!"

"They made children fight to the death? Like what happens in the Arena here?"

"Yeah! Except they were innocent, and they didn't have a choice! Well, one year Kat's sister's name was drawn from the lot, and there was only one way to save her, so she teered to go into the arena!"

Tobias guessed she meant 'volunteered'.

"The boy who was chosen happened to be someone who had saved her life, who she secretly loved! When the time came for them to fight she defeated all of her opponents until she and the boy, Pete, were the only ones left! However, rather than kill him she shared some poisonous berries and convinced him to eat them along with her, forcing the gov to declare them both victors!

"However, the gov, seeing this as an act of def, as pun declared next year that names would be chosen out of living victors, meaning that Kat would have to go back into the arena! But many of the districts rebelled against this, and were led by Kat against the gov!

"But when the time came to overthrow the king, he seemed to drop bombs on refugs, who rebels tried to help! As it turned out it was a trap, as more bombs killed the rebels, including Kat's sister, who was teering as one of the doctors!"

"So after all Kat went through to save her sister, she ended up dying anyway?"

Lyta nodded.

"Yeah! But Kat later discovered that it was a trick by one of the rebels' supports, to turn everyone against the king! So when Kat was vited to become the king's executioner she turned her weapon on the woman resp for her sister's death, engaged her in battle and ended up killing her! With nothing else left to live for she said good night, took out a suicide pill named after the very berry she had threatened to eat before, swallowed it and died there on the spot!"

"What happened to Pete? The boy she loved?"

"Oh. I'm not sure. The story basically ends with her death, but I guess he moved on!"

Tobias imagined himself there, watching Tris swallowing a suicide pill, being powerless to stop her dying.

"They actually made a movie based on Kat! Several movies actually! The last one is out later this year!"

"Are they any good?"

"On the whole yeah, but the thing that bugs me is this major change they made."

"And what's that?"

"Well, they removed the whole Kat's sister getting chosen which is why Kat teered in the first place and instead she teered because she hated the gov and her boring life and was eager for action! Which completely changed her character in a drastic way! Not to mention hollowed her."

"But why make that change?"

"Well, it's obvious really!"

"Is it?"

"Her decision to teer, although clearly brave, can also be called something else!"

"Which is?"

"Well, what's it called when you put someone's other needs before your own?"

Tobias didn't need to answer. He understood.

Selfless.

Lyta nodded.

"That's right. So I don't blame them for making the change, to remove anything that makes a hero of old resemble the enemy! But it's the same change they made to a number of heroes, those who make any action that is suspected of being selfless is removed or changed! Like in the movies of this other hero of old, called Harry, who ended up sacrificing himself because it was the only way to defeat his foe, saving everyone including his friends, nope! That's gone, now he just dies because of a mortal wound he rec from his foe in their final battle!"

"I take it you don't approve of these changes?" Tobias asked.

"Well it's not that I don't understand WHY they made the changes, still, it took away part of what made them, well, heroic."

"So Gennaiopolis doesn't allow selflessness, then?"

"Of course not!"

Even though Abnegation were the only faction back home that was based on selflessness, Tobias didn't understand how a selfish society could function. The Gennai rejection of selflessness reminded him of how Abnegation rejected curiosity. Perhaps it was less about it going against selflessness or even that a hunger for knowledge led to a hunger for power, and more about rejecting an aspect that defined Erudites, their rivals. He wondered if the rivalry didn't exist, would Abnegation have been so hostile towards the notion of asking questions? Would other selfless factions that never had a rivalry with the intelligent? Would the Andions?

"Another big change that I'm sure they'll make in the final movie is cut out Kat's suicide, and again, just have her dying of a wound she received in a fight! That one I can under stand! I mean suicide isn't really accepted today!"

"Really?" Tobias asked, surprised, "Back home plenty of Dauntless committed suicide."

"You're kidding!"

"Oh yes. When you got too old, you had two choices. Either become factionless, or commit suicide. I don't think many chose the former."

"The former?"

"Yeah. Being factionless."

"Oh. Right! Hmm, well, if old Gennai here were given the choices of either become cowards or suicide, then I guess they would choose suicide! But it's illegal here, and besides, it's considered to be no better than deserting!"

Tobias was really surprised at how different the Gennai view towards suicide was compared to the Dauntless. Although not everyone did it, taking your own life was considered to be an act of bravery, that it takes courage to die with certainty and face the unknown. Tobias never really agreed with that idea. Death seemed too easy an option to him; just put a bullet in your brain and all your troubles are gone. In Tobias' opinion it took greater strength, greater courage to endure suffering rather than taking the easy way out. Then again he wasn't like most Dauntless.

"So yes this Kat of yours really does sound alot like Tris."

"Tell me more about her."

"Why?"

"Just curi. I mean you don't have to if it's too painful-"

"No. No, it's fine."

And so Tobias started to tell her, started to tell all about Tris Prior (Although leaving out the part where she grew up in a society like their enemy), about how she passed Initiation, how she saved the Dauntless from the Erudites, how she helped defeat them, as well as the Bureau.

"Yeah she does sound alot like Kat! She sounds alot like the Heroes of Old! She even dies like some of them! She must mean a great deal to your people!"

"Yes. She does. And it might be selfish of me to say, but I think she meant more to me than anyone else alive."

Lyta laughed.

"There's nothing wrong with being selfish!"

Tobias remembered what society Lyta belonged to.

"Oh. Right. But even so, I guess you could say I have trouble letting go. I mean I haven't even been able to bring myself to scatter her ashes."

"HER WHAT?"

Tobias stared at Lyta. She looked horrified.

"Well, no," He continued uncertainly, "I mean, it's been a year and her remains are still in her urn on my shelf."

"You... you CREMATED her?"

"Well, yes."

Tobias still didn't understand why Lyta looked so upset.

"Tobias, why? How could you do that to someone you love?"

Tobias was puzzled.

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

Lyta was starting to cry.

"I've gotta go. It's getting late."

"Lyta, wait!"

Tobias raised his hand, but Lyta was running away.

"Wait, what did I say?"

It just so happened that Yamaru had appeared, passing Lyta.

"What did you say to her?"

"I don't know! We were talking about Tris, and I-"

"Ohhhhhh. Say no more. You told her you had her cremated, didn't you?"

Tobias nodded.

"Yeah, cremation is a big 'no no' in Gennai society. Citizens are inhumed, if you haven't noticed. Cremation is reserved for Cowards. To burn a brave's body is like desecration."

"But we didn't mean it like that! It was just how we disposed of the body, I mean it's not like I liked her getting burnt-"

"I know, you just have a different way of disposing the dead. I think it's because you lived underground that you don't exactly have anywhere suitable for burials. You know, I've always found the Brave disposal of the dead fascinating."

"Why?"

"Well, no matter how different the different variants of the same type can be, there are always similarities. Such as attitudes towards disposal of the dead. The selfless focus on the insignificance of the deceased's body, the peaceful tend to shy away from death while the honest focus on it, magnifying on the gruesome features, and the intelligent have the almost paradoxical attitude of showing little regard for the body yet emphasizing the importance of the memory of the person. But the brave? The brave have always differed. Some bury their dead, others cremate them (especially those that associate bravery with fire and see the bodies being consumed by the element associated with bravery). One faction even buried them upright! Preferring to think that even in death they were alert rather than laying down. For some, death is a momentous occasion, others a tragedy. But the thing they all have in common is to respect the memory of the deceased and a tendency of seeing anyone criticizing the circumstances surrounding the death to be dishonoring the memory. But even so, that still nevertheless doesn't stop there from being differences. Different cultures, different values."

"What?"

"Different cultures, different values. All over the world, throughout history, different cultures emerge and change with time. I'm sure you've noticed even here it happens. What is okay and right in one would seem repulsive and wrong in another. Even those from societies valuing tolerance condemned aspects of other cultures that seemed immoral to them, and the fact that that culture developed with different values was no excuse. So what did you think of tonight's entertainment?"

"It was repulsive," Was Tobias' answer straight away.

"Of course it was!" Yamaru laughed, "To someone like you, that is, whose society carries remnants of an age that had developed empathy towards other human beings, an empathy that became extended to all livings things that felt pain, a society where all forms of violence within the state was cracked down. But the Gennai are different. They have developed a fighting culture, a tendency in Brave societies, that society that indulges in violence, real as well as fictional, violence controlled rather than trying to suppress it entirely, as well as disassociating anything shared with animals, animals that are considered foes to be hunted anyway, with criminals who they associated with cowards, who are considered beneath them. They also taken some inspiration from an ancient society, of course in their case it tended to be only those who were criminals and slaves who were considered to be no different than cowards here who were made to fight to the death."

"Well, I don't care if that's how they have developed. It's wrong."

"Your own sense of morality is irrelevant."

"IRRELE-"

"Tobias."

Yamaru stamped his cane on the ground.

"If you want to bring peace between these two sides, you are going to have to accept that both sides consider themselves to be in the right. Your own opinions don't matter! No society that has ever existed ever believed itself to be wrong. True, they may at the most use terms like 'the greater good' or 'the lesser of two evils' or that the world isn't black and white and there are shades of grey, and you may think they're wrong but there has never been an openly admitting evil society, not even the Erudites, or the Dauntless Traitors, or the bureau thought like that! You don't have to accept what they think is right, just from their opinion they are right. Only then, can you bridge the two and bring peace between them."

Yamaru smiled.

"Now let us go back to our seats. The fights between ordinary citizens will be over soon, and it'll be the professional fighters, which will be something you're more used to. Deaths are extremely unlikely during those! Unless the fighter is due for retirement."

As he followed him, Tobias thought about what Yamaru said.


	20. Nightmare

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

The next morning, everyone was invited to breakfast, apart from Tobias, who was left standing while everyone was at the table. There was a huge fry up, and as expected, everything was spicy. Tobias managed to get some food afterwards, and forced it down while drinking his beer. After leaving the mansion, Tobias suggested they take a look at the other museums. Given that Yamaru told him that he needs to understand the points of views of both sides in order to bring peace, he thought that seeing the museums would help him better understand the Gennai mind.

A group of Enas approached them.

"You said that you were willing to prove you only have four fears?" One of them asked.

Tobias nodded.

"Come with us!"

Led back to the palace, they were taken to an empty room. There was a window in one of the walls, which was a mirror in the room. Tobias had a device placed around the left side of his chest.

"This will measure your heart rate," The Coward strapping it explained, "to determine how many fears you have."

Tobias looked around.

"Wait, that's it? No computer?"

He was given a syringe.

"It is trad for the graduate to inject themselves with this."

Tobias guessed that this must be the fear serum.

"In the arm," Mike told him, "We'll be outside watching your progress!"

Everyone left. Tobias guessed that they were looking through the mirror/window. He injected himself with the needle. Tobias waited for the first fear to emerge. Nothing happened. He walked around the room. He shot up out of it.

"WHOAOAWHOAWHOAWHOA!"

He kept going higher and higher, higher than he had ever been in a simulation before, until he had reached the clouds, as high as he was when he was on that plane, looking down at the city below which looked like a model, the people the size of ants. He didn't dare to look at what he was standing on, but it felt like a thin pole. He was trying to balance himself, to stop from falling. Breathing, he knew that he had to jump. Hearing Tris' voice calm him down, he forced himself to fall forwards. Tobias screamed as he plummeted below. Christina was falling beside him.

"Four!" She screamed, "Four, no! No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

And she fell away. Yamaru now appeared upside down, unwrapping his bandages.

"Oh Toby, I was wondering if I could get your opinion on this."

When he finished unwrapping, a large, scabby hand shot out of where the left side of his face had been, its fingers outstretched to grab Tobias. He yelled as he rolled away. Tumbling through the air the executioner from the Arena danced with a tall, grim man in black, as if they were on a floor. They turned to look at Tobias, and he saw that the pale man was Mortimer's corpse, his empty right eye socket pouring with blood. After them came Amar and George, kissing, their bodies tightly entwined as they felt each other, stripping. Now Caleb, Cara and Matthew were falling.

"Save us, Tobias!" They were shouting, "SAVE US!"

Tobias tried to swim towards them, but they were too far away, they were too far for him to get to. They suddenly shot away, far away until they had vanished. He heard another scream. It couldn't be. Falling through the air was a small seventeen year-old girl with blond hair, round shaped blue eyes and a long thin nose.

"TRIS!" Tobias screamed, "TRIS! HOLD ON!"

He tried to reach her. They were now at the same level. His hand reached out to her's. He was almost there. The executioner grabbed the hand before he could, and had Tris in her arms.

"You are mine, now," She declared. The executioner, no, death, kissed Tris.

"No!"

the warmth in Tris' face faded, her head falling backwards, her eyes stared into nothing. Her body turned into ash, which was scattered throughout the air.

"No no no no!"

Tobias tried to grab them, but he was unsuccessful. The ashes were gone. Gone forever. Looking down, he saw that he was plummeting towards the palace, threatening to be impaled on its spike. He screamed. He pass through the roof and into the room again. He smacked on the floor. Opening his eyes, he looked around. He couldn't see how he had exited or entered. It was as if nothing had ever happened. The walls started to close in on him, cracking as they slid along the floor, until the room was the size of a closet. Tobias could feel himself sweating, as he breathed harshly. He could hear a child sobbing. Him.

"Now don't give me this, Tobias."

He heard another voice. Marcus.

"You know you deserved this."

"I'm sorry, Daddy!" Child Tobias cried, "Please let me out."

"You know you have to wait, Tobias. This is for your own good."

Now Tobias found himself in the closet, the same accursed closet Marcus forced him in when he was a child, except now it was big enough to hold him as an adult. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. He banged against the door, but it was like stone. He kicked against it, but it wouldn't budge.

"Defiance will only make your stay longer, Tobias."

"Let me out!" Tobias shouted, banging against the wall.

"This is for your own good, Tobias."

"No! Let me out, you bastard!"

"I do not tolerate bad language, Tobias. It looks as though I'll just have to increase the punishment."

The closet started getting smaller.

"No! NO!"

Tobias tried banging against the walls, but it was no good. The smaller it became, the harder it became to breathe, until it was now the size of a coffin, with no room to move. Tobias banged against the lid.

"Let me out! LET ME OUT!"

He was going to suffocate. He was going to suffocate and die in the dark. Tobias closed his eyes. He could still feel the walls around him, touching all sides. Tobias breathed in and out. It's just a room. It's just a room. It can't hurt you. Tobias opened his eyes. The front wall was still up at his face, but every time he breathed in and out, and the calmer he got, the wall started moving away. With every breath, the room got bigger and bigger, until it was the size it was before. Tobias got up. A door opened. Was he now free to go? He walked through.

* * *

"Hey Four!"

Christina was clicking her fingers in front of him.

"Four, are you still with us?"

Tobias broke out of his daydream to look at Christina. He looked around. He was back in Chicago. Amar and even Peter were here.

"What's going on?"

"Jeez, Four, how long were you away from Earth for? We're here to inoculate mine and Uriah's family, remember?"

It can't be. It was a year before. Wait. Did that mean everything he had experienced in the past year never happened? Was it all in his head? But that meant...

"Four, what are you doing?"

Tobias got in the driver's seat of the car, and started the engine.

"I'm sorry, but I have to save her!"

He drove off in the car.

"Four, wait!"

He heard Christina calling after him, but it didn't matter. He drove as fast as he could, his mind solely focused on getting back to the compound that housed the bureau. If this was a year before, before they took it down...

He reached the gates.

"Hey you!"

Two guards ran out from the entrance.

"Stop!"

Tobias took out his gun and shot both of them. He ran in the office, through the corridors, shooting anyone who tried to stop him. Eventually he reached the Weapons Lab, where Caleb was waiting outside.

"She's in there, isn't she?" He asked Caleb.

"Tobias, what are you doing-?"

"IS SHE IN THERE?"

"Beatrice? Yes,-"

Tobias ran in.

"Wait, Tobias, stop!" Caleb called after him, "You'll die!"

That didn't matter. Nothing else mattered now.

Hold on, Tris. Hold on, I'm almost there.

In the weapons lab, he looked for Tris.

"The faction system, the experiment, is perfect."

Tobias felt rage boiling inside him. It was David, the head of the bureau. The man who had murdered the woman he loved.

"You will not stop it."

Tobias saw them. David raised his weapon at Tris.

"Goodbye, Tris."

"NO!"

Tobias threw himself between Tris and David. He felt the bullet enter his chest.

"NO!"

Tris screamed, shooting David.

Tobias was on the ground.

"Tobias! Tobias!"

She picked him up, holding him in her arms.

"No! Please don't die!"

Tobias looked up, into Tris' face.

"You're alive. You're alive."

"Yes I'm alive. And you'll be too, you just have to hold on."

Tris was crying.

"I did it. I did it," He moaned.

He could feel himself dying. He knew he didn't have long, but that didn't matter now. Nothing else mattered, as long as Tris was alive.

"Tobias, please! I can't live without you!"

He felt her tears fall on him.

"At least-"

Tobias raised his hand to stroke Tris' cheek.

"I was able to save you... this time..."

Tris' smile faded.

"Then why didn't you do it before?"

Tobias was stunned at her question.

"What?"

" _WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME, TOBIAS?_ "

Tris' hair had gone wild, her flesh thinned and pale. Tobias rolled away and stood up, backing away.

"You could have saved me."

"No, I couldn't have."

Another Tris appeared beside him.

"If only you had been here, this wouldn't have happened!"

Blood poured from the bullet wound that David had made.

"I wouldn't have been-"

Tris gurgled the rest of her sentence, unable to speak.

Another Tris appeared.

"You had me burnt!"

Her body caught on fire. As she advanced towards Tobias, she left a trail of ashes behind.

"How could you do that to someone you love?"

Tobias looked around.

"Lyta?"

A fourth Tris appeared.

"I suppose it was better you had burnt me, otherwise I would have become this, because of you!"

She was decomposing before his very eyes, maggots emerging, one darting out and into her eye.

"I couldn't have saved you," Tobias shook his head, trying to back away, but had nowhere to go, the Trises blocking him everywhere.

"I couldn't have. I couldn't have."

The bullet wound in Tobias' own body flowed with blood. He sank to the floor, feeling his own blood fill the room.

"It's your fault," The Trises were chanting, "It's your fault."

Tobias could feel himself succumbing, vanishing in the blood, as everything got darker and darker. The last words he would hear would be the condemnation from the girl he loved, who he was unable to save.

"Your fault. Your fault."

In the darkness and the blood, a realisation came to Tobias.

"No."

He got up, facing the Trises.

"I couldn't have saved you. There was no way of me knowing that you would take Caleb's place, that David would be there."

The Trises melted into one. She looked normal now. He placed his hand on her cheek.

"I'll always love you, Tris."

And he kissed her. He could feel, actually feel her lips, her lips again on his, warm lips, not cold. And as their mouths opened he found he was sucking on thin air. He opened his eyes. He was back in the room. He turned away from the glass that he knew they were watching him in, trying hard to hold back the tears that threatened to pour. The door burst opened.

"You did it, Four!"

Tobias turned around. Christina ran towards him, throwing her arms over his shoulders.

"I never doubted you, Toby," Yamaru walked up to them.

"Way to go, Four!"

Amar and George were now there, smacking Tobias on the shoulders.

"Yeah, you've cert proven yourself!" Said Mike, walking up to him, being joined by the other Enas. Tobias looked down at the girl whose arms still hung around his neck.

Christina's throat exploded. Tobias felt the blood shower his face. He looked at her.

"No!"

Christina was gasping for breath, pointless as her throat was destroyed. More gunshots came, hitting everyone apart from Tobias.

"Christina, no!"

Tobias tried to hold onto the dying Christina, who went limp in his arms. He dropped her on the floor. Tobias looked around at the carnage, blood spilling across the floor. Everyone was dead; Yamaru, a bullet through where his left eye used to be; Amar and George, in each other's arms; Mike and the other Enas, including Bry Ena and Jonny, with wounds either in their throats or their chests, some even had their necks at wrong angles. He looked up at the shooter. It couldn't be.

"You!"

It was Marcus Eaton. Tobias grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the wall.

"WHY?"

"They had to die. For the greater good. It was the only way to end the war."

Tobias backed away. He was sure from the clothes that it was his dad. But now looking closer he saw who it really was.

The killer was himself.

Tobias screamed. The other him kept staring. Eventually, he calmed down.

"No. I will not be like you. I'll never be like you. I will not do what you would do."

The image smiled. The apparition of him faded. The blood on the floor had vanished. Tobias looked around. All of the bodies had vanished too. The door burst open. Christina ran out.

"You did it, Four!"

She ran to him. Tobias backed away.

"Four, it's okay, you're through now."

"Am I? How do I know this isn't another illusion?"

"Four, remember? Four fears? You've gone through all of them."

It's true he only had four fears last time he checked. But how did he know that he didn't have more than one now, since the last year he went through the fear landscape? Seeing that he wasn't convinced, Christina kissed him. It was not like the kiss he had from the illusionary Tris. This felt real. Soon Amar and George walked up to him, along with Yamaru. They were then met by Mike and some of the other Enas.

"Right then," Said Mike, "Let's see how well you did!"

A coward unstripped the device from Tobias' chest; he and the other Enas walked away to inspect it.

"You okay?" Christina asked.

Tobias checked himself by moving his hand down his face and body. Only his forehead felt wet, but that was probably sweat.

"I don't understand. I've always been able to tell it's a simulation before, why not this time?"

"Because what they gave you wasn't a serum," Yamaru explained, "It was a drug. It's called Ephailtes. It means 'nightmare'. Gennai use it in their final examination at the Agoge. I was worried they would give you the stronger type of the two drugs."

"The stronger of the two?" Christina asked disbelievingly.

"Oh yes. Throughout the second half of their year, students face their fears by injecting themselves with the weaker drug, called 'Phobos', literally and quite suitably meaning 'fear'."

"And what makes it weaker?" Christina asked.

"Well, with Phobos the effects only last as long as the drug is in their bloodstream."

"And what makes Ephailtes worst?" Asked Tobias.

"With Ephailtes, there is no time limit. Trying to keep your heartbeat steady will do you no good, the only way to overcome the effects is to overcome your fears."

"And if you can't?"

"Well, the effect remains until you can overcome your fears."

"And if you can't?" Tobias repeated.

"Then you're trapped in your worse nightmares. A lot of Gennai never wake up."

"Are you sure?"

The group looked over at the Enas'. Mike looked agitated.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I am, my Bravest," The coward replied, "His heart only spiked four times."

"Well check it again!" Bry Ena shouted, "This is imposs!"

"I've checked it twice. The results are conclusive, this Tobias only has four things that he is afraid of."

The Enas looked at Tobias.

"I...I don't believe it," Said Mike, "You really do only have four fears! That's extremely rare, that's legendary rare! Yes! With someone like you on our side, we can finally win the war!"

"No," Tobias replied, "We're not here to help you win the war. We're here to bring peace."

The Enas stared at him.

"PEACE?" Bry Ena shouted, "What kind of Brave are you? I should have known that a bunch of black wearing, train riding, cake eaters couldn't really be brave! I think that device's missed a fear! Your nickname should be called Five, cos you're clearly a coward!"

The Enas were muttering amongst themselves. Tobias knew he was losing them. There was only one way he knew how to stop it.

He punched Bry in the face.

"Don't you question my bravery again!" He threatened.

Bry looked at him, blood pouring from his nose.

"You dare hit an Ena, outsider? I CHALLENGE YOU!"

"Bry, no!" Mike said, "He doesn't understand what that means!"

"The Arena, tonight, first match between non-pros! Do you accept?"

Tobias looked around. He guessed that turning down the challenge will not look good in front of the Enas.

"I accept."

"You realize that you will be fighting by Gennai rules?" Yamaru whispered.

Tobias understood.

He had accepted a potential fight to the death.


	21. Tobias Eaton vs Bry Ena

**I do not own 'Divergent' or anything related.**

* * *

His fight was arranged that night. After accepting Bry's challenge, Tobias spent the whole day preparing to fight. It had been a long time since he trained, and he was a little out of practice.

"Are you crazy?" Christina had said to him, "You don't know these people, don't risk your life for a bunch of strangers!"

But they had come so far, he couldn't turn back now.

Tobias stayed behind the scene while the events before his fight were taking place.

Yamaru had entered behind him.

"Come to wish me luck?" Tobias asked.

"Just to give you some tips. Remember, you have to fight like a Gennai. Only strike his head and his torso. Anything else is considered dishonorable. Don't attack him when he's on the ground or his back is turned. You know, I don't know what you saw when you injected yourself with the ephailtes, but during your fourth fear you said that you wouldn't do what whoever you were talking to would do."

Tobias nodded.

"Well, I hate for you to break your promise, but you may have to."

"What do you mean?"

"If you win, you may need to kill him."

Tobias felt a chill pass.

"It's unlikely, like I told you before the fate of the loser isn't decided by chance and the Enas are not likely going to let one of their own members die, but in case they do, you'll need to be prepared to kill him."

"You- You expect me to murder someone?"

"Of course not!" Yamaru sounded offended, "Murder is illegal homicide. You'll be completely within the law to kill Bry."

Even so, Tobias was not comfortable at the idea of killing Bry.

"Oh don't try to act like you actually think 'all life is precious,' you've killed before. Heck, you even executed someone!"

"That was a sadist who was responsible for so many innocent deaths! And that was during war!"

"This is war! What we're in is war right now, and to end a war you need to do distasteful things!"

Tobias tried to think of a way around the scenario that Yamaru was suggesting.

"What if I tried to argue that me not giving into their rules is a sign of bravery?"

"Tobias, Tobias," Yamaru stamped his cane on the ground, "Didn't your experiences with the dauntless teach you anything? Almost ANY action can be interpreted as either brave or cowardly. What seems courageous to one would seem motivated by fear to another, and vice versa! Throughout the war, there have been a group of Gennai who have protested against it, now you may think that's them being brave, but do you really think that the Enas would allow them to have the honor of being called that?"

"But what if I explained that it's different where I'm from, that we think-"

"It doesn't matter what you think!" He snapped, pointing his cane to the crowd outside, "What matter is what they think, and I'm telling you, if you spare his life they won't see it as noble act against a cruel society worth their admiration they will see it as cowardice, and you who want to bring peace will lose any credibility and the only chance we have of convincing them to consider peace! Like I said, it's just a precaution, it's unlikely they'll actually make you do it, but you need to be prepared if they do."

He patted him on the shoulder.

"It would be selfish to keep one's hands clean at the expense of saving lives."

Tobias felt a bit stung.

"That's twice now you've mistaken me for Abnegation, Mr Yamaru, and as I told you before, I chose to be Dauntless-"

"Yes!" Yamaru laughed, "You were Dauntless! But the Dauntless no longer exist. So what does that make you? I'll tell you what you are. You are a selflessman. Selfless is what you were born as, it's what you continue to be, even after choosing Dauntless, and it's what you'll always be."

Tobias thought of something.

"You said that the fighters' fate are rigged. How likely are they to spare my life if I lose?"

"Probably about fifty fifty. You see there is a reason why the Enas are so interested in all of you former Dauntless."

"Because they want more soldiers for the war?"

"Well it's partly that. But there is another more pressing concern for them."

"More than winning the war?"

"Much more! They've kept it a secret, but the number of successful graduates have been declining. They don't know the reason why but whereas in the past the vast majority passed graduation now it ranges between a handful to one and there have even been cases where no one passes at all! And sometimes even those who do pass are not exactly the most ideal choice for fighters."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure that I don't need to tell you that bravery doesn't necessarily correlate with physical strength."

Tobias nodded.

"And those who would rather see me dead?"

"Well that said, there are probably those who, well not fear, but are concerned about you. Not only are you a brave, as well as a first, not to mention you only have four fears, something unseen, and yet you want peace. They will see that as something of a threat to their society, and would probably prefer you with your neck broken. Also if you're thinking of throwing in the towel in order to spare the boy's life, I wouldn't recommend it. If you lose, even if you survive, your suggestion of peace will seem less desirable compared to if you win."

Tobias looked out at the Arena. Another man sentenced to death was just finished off by the executioner. Like the man he saw yesterday, the woman played with his corpse before dragging it out like a piece of garbage.

"Don't feel too bad for him," Yamaru told Tobias, "The executed was a murderer. A serial killer no less. You wouldn't feel so sorry for him if you had known what he had done."

Even so, executing someone by stabbing them through the chest, making a spectacle of it? Somehow a quick bullet in the brain seemed a more merciful and dignified death.

Next came another convict sentenced to have his hand chopped off.

"If it makes you feel any better, the convicts chose these punishments."

It really didn't.

"What do you mean they chose this?"

"Like I said, virtually all crime is considered cowardly, so when facing punishments, the convict is given two choices; become a coward, and face prison, or regain their honor by going through the harsher punishment."

"So their honor is more important than their life, or their hands or-"

"Of course it is!"

"You've said that they consider all crime to be cowardly, but I don't get that. I mean sure yes I guess there is an element of cowardice found in crime but -"

"And it's that element that they focus on! Basically any action made with the intention of concealment is considered to be cowardly, and that includes most crime."

"So if someone murders someone else here in secret, that's considered cowardly, but if they do it with everyone watching-"

"I did say virtually all crime. Anyway, if someone wanted to kill someone else here, they would do it in the arena rather than a bar or street or something."

"But you said that fighters rarely die in the arena."

"And they do, but that won't stop the challenger to challenge that other person again, and Gennai honor won't permit them to turn it down unless it was an arithmocrat being challenged by someone of lower status like an ochirath or being challenged by someone weaker than you. Anyway fighters don't necessarily stay alive or awake by the time the fight is over. It's just as well they have this association of crime with cowardice. I'm not saying all are but the Brave tend to have the highest crime rates. Part of law abidance relies on fear of punishment, fear, something that the brave tend to lack, who are more risk takers."

"I thought you said crime was considered cowardly?" Tobias asked.

"And it is, which helps to imprint the idea for brave to avoid crime."

When a convict punished for disobeying orders was dragged out Tobias knew that his time was coming.

"I never did get a chance to apologize."

"For what?" Tobias asked.

"Yesterday I snapped at you. I apologize for what I said. It's just that I take great offense when my intelligence is insulted."

"I wasn't questioning your intelligence, Mr Yamaru, I was questioning how much you knew."

"For me, intelligence and knowledge are the same thing."

The announcer now spoke.

"And now, guys and girls, is the moment you've all been waiting for! The battle of the firsts!

From this side of the arena, he's the proud owner of only six fears, the latest in a long line of Enas that go back to the time of Gennaius himself, please welcome Brrrrrrryyyyyyyy Enaaaaaaa!"

There were cheers from the crowd. Tobias saw Bry strolling in, roaring at the audience.

"And from this side of the arena, he's one of the beyonders! He graduated at the age of sixteen, at eighteen he single handedly overthrew not one, but two tyrannical regimes, and a source has told me that he only has...four fears!"

The crowd had gone silent. Tobias wondered if they were later whispering to each other over this.

"So please welcome Tobias 'Four the black brave' Eaaaaaatooooon!"

Tobias walked into the Arena. The crowd cheered him, cheered him louder than they did for Bry. Was it because he seemed more impressive, or because the other Arithmocrats resented the top family more? As Tobias stood across his opponent, he couldn't help but notice that he looked resentful. Bry was given the mic.

"TOBIAS! You may have every one else fooled but you don't fool me! Single handly? Ha! From what I heard last day you spent most of the time either brainwashed or captured the first time and the second you had run away from the action! And really, even if you were involved, does anyone actually believe that an eighteen year old did all that? The device may have only detect four fears, but I think that it missed one cos you are clearly a coward! Do you know what he said when offered the chance to join the war? He said no, we must all get along! And what do you expect? Look at the way he's dressed! Do they look like brave colors to you? Don't they remind of someone we're at war with? Do you know how braves from his city travel? By bike? No! They take the train! In his city, they eat muffins for breakfast, and have desert! They eat all kinds of food that taste good like Eirins! But all of this would be forgived if it wasn't for one fact! Do you know how his brave treat their dead? they don't give them viewing they don't give them mausoleums or even gravestones they BURN THEM!"

There was silence. Tobias didn't have time to wonder how Bry knew this before the crowd burst into an uproar as cremating a brave's body was considered to be desecration. Many even threw food and rubbish at him. Tobias didn't move.

"Yeah! They burn them! And are expect to throw the ashes away like garbage! So then Five when I kill you I won't redress your body and move you into a respect pose I won't wish you triumph in Valhalla and I won't carry your body out like a comrade instead I'll drag your carcass out of here like the perp you are! But I will give you this! Don't worry Five we won't let your body be buried far from your loved ones nor will we let it rot if cremation is how you treat your dead then we will cremate you like the coward you are and I will be there at the pyre to light you up!"

Tobias was then given the mic. He guessed it was his turn to boast about himself, and shame Bry. He thought about correcting him, that although he didn't take down either Jeanine Mathews nor the Bureau For Genetic Welfare single handedly he was instrumental in the fight against the former as well as protecting people against the latter, that riding the trains is considered brave because they have to get on and off while they were still running. That while they do enjoy food the rigorous dauntless lifestyle allowed them to enjoy it without putting on weight and that their form of disposal of the dead was not meant to be disrespectful, it was just how they did it.

Raising the mic, he dropped it.

The crowd gasped.

Just because he was fighting by their rules, it didn't mean he had to stoop at their level.

* * *

Yamaru remarked to himself that the action Tobias just made would have been considered cool centuries before.

* * *

The bell signifying the beginning of the fight rang. Tobias took off his shirt. Bry roared as he charged at him, his head lowered. Tobias grabbed him by the shoulders and he tossed him away to the ground. Tobias then prepared to kick him in the ribs while he was down, before remembering what Yamaru told him that the Gennai don't take kindly to fighting dirty. Getting up, Bry wiped the blood from his mouth, as he lunged at him again. Tobias shielded himself with his arms. Fighting Bry was easier than he thought. Whereas the young Ena was bigger and stronger, his fighting style lacked restraint, and he rarely used defensive moves, so it was easy to block and counter him. Tobias had to restrain himself from fighting dirty, which was harder than he thought, as Dauntless taught him to fight to win at any costs, whereas the Gennai valued a fair fight more than victory. Bry fell to the ground again, and Tobias once again had to restrain himself from kicking him when he was down. The clock started the countdown.

"Way to go, Four!"

Tobias looked up. He saw Christina. He heard Bry roar and found himself falling into the ground. He felt his head getting pummelled.

"I- will not- be beaten- by a black wearing - train riding - cake eating - peace loving outsider!"

He turned him over. Tobias tried to punch back, but Bry held his arms down.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!"

He raised his hands together. Tobias instinctively kicked him in the crotch. Bry winced as he keeled over. Tobias got up, followed by Bry, who looked enraged.

"YOU-"

Tobias punched him. Yamaru told him to avoid fighting dirty, but he had attacked him when his back was turned. If he wasn't going to play by the rules, then neither was he.

Tobias kept punching him, kicking him, not giving him a moment to fight back, hitting in the weak spots. Enraged, Bry roared as he charged at him. Tobias grabbed his arm and spun him holding it, bringing his arm down, breaking it. Bry screamed. On the ground, Tobias kept punching him.

Stay down. Stay down.

Bry looked up. Tobias punched him again until he was on the floor, unable to get up.

1

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10

The bell rang. Bry managed to sit up.

"Now we will see if Bry Ena will live, or die," Said the announcer.

"Death!" Someone from the Dio crowd roared, "Death to the coward!"

The entire crowd started cheering 'Death!' Soon others from the other families joined in as well, even those from the Enas.

"DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH!"

The board fluctuated between the figures of life and death. It couldn't fall on death.

"DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH!"

The Enas wouldn't allow it.

"DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH!"

Even if some Enas were calling for his death.

"DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH!"

The board settled on Death.

Tobias felt hollow. Bry looked shocked.

"Four, no!" He heard Christina scream, "No, don't do it! DON'T DO IT!"

George and Amar shouted the same thing. Tobias went over to him. He grabbed him in his arms.

"No wait wait wait!" Bry begged, "I'm sorry! Please don't kill me! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

He looked into his frightened eyes. It was then that it dawned on Tobias. Even though they were the same age, this guy really was just a kid compared to him, a snotty nosed punk kid who bragged more about how tough he was, more than he had actually experienced.

"What are you waiting for? KILL HIM!" One of the Dios shouted.

Soon, a few more were shouting the same thing, wondering what was taking so long.

Tobias didn't care if killing Bry wouldn't be considered illegal homicide. Killing a kid, just for being boastful, was wrong. Yet if he didn't do it, then it wouldn't matter what reason he would give the Gennai, they would consider his sparing Bry's life cowardice, would consider him a coward, and therefore any talk of him to convince them to accept peace will not be heeded, leading this war to continue, to the deaths of so many more people.

Tobias made his decision.


End file.
